EU’s Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has called for decisive action to integrate Ukraine into the EU by the end of the next EU legislative cycle in 2029. She laid out the Commission’s approach before the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
“Ukraine’s access to the EU is a key security guarantee. We must make it happen,” Kos said.
The commitment comes despite widely acknowledged concerns about Ukraine’s readiness—issues that Kos herself had previously flagged in a discussion where she noted that Ukraine had not yet fulfilled a single accession criterion.
These concerns have become a source of friction within the EU, particularly with Hungary, which has repeatedly voiced opposition to fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession. Kos addressed this, stating: “Together with EU member states, the Commission is exploring options to simplify access procedures so that bilateral issues do not hinder enlargement in this very sensitive geopolitical situation.”
Brussels is reportedly considering an “alternative” decision-making mechanism aimed at sidelining individual vetoes like Hungary’s. This would mark a significant shift from traditional enlargement procedures, raising questions about treaty compliance and internal cohesion.
“The EU wants Ukraine in the European Union, and they are willing to use underhanded methods in violation of the founding treaty, including cutting Hungary out of the process and ignoring the country’s veto,” one critical assessment noted.
