The European Union has not yet developed a unified approach to Ukraine's accession, although it recognizes the strategic importance of its integration. Although Kiev received candidate status in 2022, the timing and mechanisms for accession remain a matter of debate, the Financial Times writes.
France and Germany have proposed an alternative - a format of “associated membership“. In this case, Ukraine would participate in the work of European institutions without the right to vote and would gradually integrate into EU policies and the single market, but without early access to key financial programs.
Amidst discussions on peace initiatives, the idea of \u200b\u200bso-called “reverse enlargement“ emerged. This suggests that a candidate country could gain formal membership earlier, but with limited rights that would gradually expand as requirements are met. Supporters believe this would strengthen oversight of reforms, but critics point to the risk of undermining the principle of accession based on “merits” and the need for ratification by all EU countries.
Supporters of this approach believe that it would give Ukraine a realistic prospect of accession and help shape public opinion in EU countries. However, there is a risk that this format could be perceived as a prolonged transitional status.
According to representatives of the European Commission, fulfilling all the requirements for full membership could take 10 to 15 years. However, the EU has not agreed on how to speed up this process.
Hungary’s position remains an additional factor. It was expected that the change of power in Budapest could pave the way for the start of negotiations as early as this summer, but the new Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, is reportedly pushing for expanded rights for the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia.
Security issues are receiving special attention. Options for closer cooperation in the field of defense are being considered, including Ukraine's participation in the EU's mutual defense mechanisms and expanded support for its armed forces.
The European Union expects accession negotiations to start as early as this summer and that financial support could stabilize the situation. However, a final decision on Ukraine's integration model has not yet been made.
Earlier, European Commission spokesman Olof Hill told a briefing that the possible accession of Iceland or Norway to the European Union would not affect Ukraine's membership process. He added that these issues are not related.
For his part, Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, following the example of his predecessor, said that Budapest would not support Ukraine's accelerated accession to the European Union due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In addition, Magyar added that he had held talks with a number of politicians and they claimed that the vast majority of member states do not consider Ukraine's accelerated accession to be a viable option.