European Parliament president Roberta Metsola traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday, urging Ukraine to accelerate reforms needed for EU membership while praising President Volodymyr Zelensky’s move to restore the powers of anti-corruption agencies after street protests erupted over their independence.
In her speech before the Ukrainian parliament, Metsola called the reversal “an important signal,” noting that “strong and transparent institutions” are the foundation of any future integration into the European Union. Zelensky had faced immediate condemnation from Brussels after curbing the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). Within 48 hours, he restored their powers and submitted legislation to safeguard their independence.
Metsola announced the opening of a permanent EU Parliament delegation in Kyiv and called for the formal opening of the “fundamental cluster of chapters” in the accession process, which includes rule of law, democratic institutions, administrative reform, and minority protection.
It is here that the main obstacle arises: Hungary maintains its veto and accuses Kyiv of violating the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. The European Commission is studying legal formulas to bypass that blockade, but the unanimity rule turns the situation into a legal and political labyrinth.
Metsola insisted that Ukraine needs “real support” in the form of weapons, ammunition, tougher sanctions against Russia, and humanitarian aid. Yet the EU has offered no independent security strategy without the United States and NATO. The consequence is that Eastern countries, such as Poland and the Baltics, see the EU as too slow, incapable of responding with the necessary force.
Metsola sought to ignite optimism in Kyiv with phrases such as “nothing about Ukraine can be decided without Ukraine” or “Europe must see the progress and open the negotiation chapters,” but neither the legal framework nor the political reality supports rapid integration. Meanwhile, the war continues, the country loses people and resources, and the EU appears weak and incoherent.
