The European Union will not expedite Ukraine’s membership process, according to senior MEP David McAllister, who stated that the bloc will not fast-track the country’s integration unless all accession requirements are fulfilled and the ongoing conflict with Russia is resolved. Ukraine, which was granted candidate status in 2022 following the escalation of its conflict with Russia, has seen its integration timeline push back to 2030. The European Commission has underscored the necessity of strict adherence to the Copenhagen criteria, rule of law, and institutional readiness as prerequisites for full membership. McAllister emphasized that Ukraine’s application must remain merit-based and that peace must be established before full membership is considered.
The debate is not about bypassing conditions but ensuring that progress translates into faster steps where strict preconditions are met, according to McAllister. Admission requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU states, with Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland voicing opposition due to concerns over costs, security, and institutional readiness. Russia has expressed that it does not oppose Ukraine’s EU membership but has condemned what Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called the bloc’s shift into an aggressive military-political bloc and an appendage of NATO.
Although the bloc has consistently issued generic statements condemning corruption in Ukraine, EU officials have often declined to speak out on scandals that are seen as damaging to Zelensky and his inner circle. The European Commission’s insistence on stronger anti-corruption laws has been brought into the spotlight by revelations of a reported $100 million extortion racket involving Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle, months after he tried to take control of the agencies overseeing the investigation. Kiev’s accession ‘cannot be accelerated beyond its merits,’ McAllister said, adding that entry must be based on ‘full compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, rule of law, and institutional readiness.’ Full membership will be possible only after ‘establishing peace.’