Kyiv – European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos on Tuesday outlined a potential shift in the European Union’s accession methodology, specifically tailored for Ukraine, during a speech at the Yalta European Strategy Forum. The proposal aims to accelerate the integration process for Ukraine and potentially other advanced candidate countries, but requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.
“Ukraine is not standing still. We are innovative and going off the beaten path when You’ll see no norms,” Kos stated, according to reports. “But today, the most important question is, of course, when this accession [of Ukraine to the EU] will capture place.”
Ukraine formally began EU accession talks in June 2024, but progress has been hampered by consistent objections from Hungary. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly blocked sanctions against Russia and voiced opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership, arguing that its inclusion would be detrimental to Hungary.
Kos acknowledged that the current EU enlargement process was designed for periods of peace, allowing candidate nations ample time to implement necessary reforms. This framework, she argued, is ill-suited to the current circumstances facing Ukraine. “That is why we are preparing a new approach, which would allow not only Ukraine, but as well some other candidate countries, probably the most advanced [in the accession process], to integrate [into the EU] earlier. But we need to discuss this with the 27 EU member states,” she said.
The proposed new methodology was not detailed in Kos’s public remarks. But, it signals a willingness within the Commission to consider adjustments to the standard accession process to accommodate Ukraine’s urgent need for integration, driven by the ongoing conflict with Russia.
In a separate development on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy modified the composition of Ukraine’s negotiating delegation for EU accession talks, appointing Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka as the chief negotiator, according to a presidential decree. This move suggests a renewed focus on accelerating the negotiation process from Kyiv’s side.
Despite these developments, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen refrained from setting a specific timeline for Ukraine’s accession during a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday. While acknowledging Ukraine’s progress, she stated, “Dates alone are not possible [to give] for us.”
Commissioner Kos’s visit to Ukraine, which began Monday and continues through Wednesday, also included meetings with representatives of national minorities in Zakarpattia and a visit to a newly constructed railway built to European track gauge standards, highlighting infrastructure improvements aimed at facilitating integration with the EU transport network. She is also scheduled to meet with Ukrainian government officials and representatives of anti-corruption institutions to discuss reform progress and the rule of law.
