European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the issue of opening of clusters for Ukraine will be discussed at a European Council meeting on 18-19 June. To ensure success at the highest level, two separate intergovernmental conferences are scheduled to take place in Luxembourg on 15 June, one for Ukraine and one for Moldova, preceded by intensive work in working groups and at ambassadorial level in Brussels.
When it comes to Ukraine’s accession to the EU, there are plenty of misconceptions and misinterpretations – one of them concerns the country’s fast-track entry into the European Union as a full member.
In fact, the EU is paving the way for Ukraine (and Moldova) to begin the first cluster of accession negotiations -’Fundamentals’ – which marks the initial step in a very long process.
A spokesperson for the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the EU described the move as a ’significant milestone’ in the two countries’ European integration path. The spokesperson said it was a demonstration of the bloc’s commitment to enlargement, which ’sends a strong message of unity and determination.’
At the same time, it should be noted that some Member States do not support Ukraine’s immediate full membership – as demanded by Kyiv –, instead, they would prefer a so-called association membership with limited rights. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested Ukraine could be offered observer status, allowing participation in EU institutions without voting rights.
Considering Ukraine’s EU membership, including accession negotiations, it is crucial that a country at war cannot become a member of the European Union; in other words, Ukraine, as a candidate country, must first and foremost conclude peace with Russia. Unless this condition is met, any discussion about Ukraine’s EU membership is out of the question.
Germany’s Merz dismissed 2027 and 2028 as unrealistic timelines for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, saying membership would not be possible while the country remains at war with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent talks with European leaders should be viewed within this context.
7 June, Zelenskyy arrived in the UK where he met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The leaders outlined five conditions for a just and lasting peace in a joint statement following their meeting in London. First, a stop to the fighting.
However, ending the war and signing a peace agreement is only one of many conditions that must be met in order to Ukraine join the EU. It is equally important that, in line with EU requirements, Ukraine must present its plans for internal reforms as well as address the issue of national minorities – which is the Hungarian government’s key demand of Kyiv. (Hungary’s position is key as the breakthrough in Ukraine’s case came after
It is important to emphasize that opening clusters requires unanimous approval by all 27 EU member countries. Any country can block the accession process at any stage.
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