Brussels, Belgium. The European Commission is considering an early-stage idea to allow Ukraine to join the EU quickly as part of a peace deal with Russia, while delaying full membership rights until after transition periods, EU officials said.
Staged access to EU rights
EU officials said the concept would provide Ukraine with faster accession while limiting full membership rights, which would be earned after transition periods. Under the approach, Ukraine, and potentially other candidates, would join the EU quickly and receive staged access to voting rights depending on progress toward meeting full membership criteria.
Role in post-war guarantees
Officials said the idea is intended as a possible gesture to Ukrainians seeking EU membership as part of a post-war security guarantee from Europe and a credible promise of a path toward economic stability and integration with the West after years of fighting a Russian invasion.
Concerns over fixed timelines
Diplomats said Ukrainian EU membership in 2027 was included in a 20-point peace plan discussed between the United States, Ukraine and the European Union as a measure to support Ukraine’s economic prosperity after the war ends. However, many EU governments consider that date, or any fixed date, unrealistic because accession is merit-based and depends on progress in aligning national laws with EU standards.
Approval requirements and precedent
Joining the bloc requires approval from the national parliaments of the EU’s 27 member states. EU officials said even limited membership would still require the consent of EU governments and national parliaments. One EU official said the situation differs from when accession rules were first established.
Ukraine’s candidacy and the usual process
Ukraine has been battling a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022 and became an EU candidate in June 2022, with negotiations opened at the end of 2023. Accession talks typically take years; Poland, with a similar population to Ukraine, took 10 years to complete negotiations and legal changes before joining in 2004 alongside nine other countries.
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