Ukraine’s accession to the EU as a guarantee of security: what is being discussed in Brussels
10 February 01:05
The European Union is working on several scenarios in which Ukraine’s EU membership could become part of a future peace agreement. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing informed sources, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the agency’s interlocutors, Brussels is considering options that combine security guarantees for Ukraine with further or gradual accession to the European Union.
What scenarios is the EU discussing?
Among the approaches currently being analyzed by the European Union, Bloomberg sources mention:
- providing Ukraine with protection that would entail full EU membership;
- immediate access for Kyiv to certain rights and mechanisms enjoyed by member states of the bloc;
- setting a clear timeline and list of steps needed to move forward with the official accession process.
Alternative formats are also being discussed.
“Other options include continuing the current path to accession or introducing a transition period and gradual membership,” Bloomberg sources said.
Peace plan and target date of 2027
According to Bloomberg, the 20-point peace plan, which Ukraine is working on mainly with the United States, envisages Ukraine’s accession to the EU in 2027.
Until then, Kyiv may receive some of the benefits of membership even without formally completing all procedures.
At the same time, a spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed to Bloomberg that Ukraine’s future accession to the EU is indeed being discussed in the context of a potential peace agreement.
The position of Ukraine and the European Commission
Earlier, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva said that Ukraine expects a key political decision on EU accession to be made as early as 2027.
In addition, the Ukrainian authorities predict that all negotiation clusters will be ready to open in the first half of this year.
At the same time, European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho stressed that the Prosperity Plan for Ukraine does not specify a specific date for EU accession. According to her, the issues of membership and economic support should be considered separately in different documents.
What this means
Thus, the European Union does not set a strict date for Ukraine’s accession, but considers European integration to be one of the key elements of the post-war settlement.
The final decision will depend both on the course of the war and on the pace of Ukraine’s implementation of the reforms necessary for EU membership.
