EU countries have rejected plans for accelerated accession of Ukraine to the EU, but are considering gradually granting access to certain European institutions, Politico reports, citing four European diplomats.
“EU countries are preparing a package of short-term privileges for Ukraine to bring it closer to the bloc after their capitals rejected plans for accelerated accession of Ukraine as a full member“, the publication writes.
According to one diplomat, EU member states have made it clear that Ukraine’s accession to the bloc “will be extremely difficult“ in the short term. They are also said to be looking for other ways to bring Kiev closer.
EU officials considered the so-called “accelerated gradual integration“ of Ukraine, which implies gradual accession to certain segments of the bloc's markets, financing schemes and political institutions. According to the source, Lithuania has proposed granting Kiev the status of “country in the process of accession“.
In June 2022, the EU granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for the integration union, setting several strict conditions for the official start of accession negotiations.
The EU has repeatedly acknowledged that this decision is largely symbolic and is intended to support these countries in their confrontation with Russia.
Acquiring candidate status is only the beginning of the rather long process of joining the EU. Turkey has been a candidate since 1999, North Macedonia since 2005, Montenegro since 2010, and Serbia since 2012. Croatia was the most recent country to join the EU, in 2013, a process that took ten years.