The EU aims to begin talks on Ukraine’s membership as soon as possible, said European Council President António Costa on Thursday, while refraining from specifying a date.
The United States has proposed a plan to end the war in Ukraine, which includes Kyiv joining the EU by January 2027, a timeline widely deemed unrealistic by experts.
"We want to formally open negotiations as soon as possible and make progress in the enlargement process," Costa stated during a press conference in Oslo during his visit.
Costa acknowledged uncertainties, saying, "I can’t confirm whether this will happen in 2027, 2026, or even later, but maintaining momentum is crucial."
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which will enter its fifth year next Tuesday, has complicated hopes for the country’s swift integration.
Despite the war, Ukraine is implementing necessary reforms to achieve EU membership, Costa emphasised, describing the progress as "particularly impressive."
He addressed the possibility of a streamlined membership process for Ukraine, noting, "There are established rules for accession. Candidate countries are required to meet these criteria, notably those set in the Copenhagen criteria of 1993."
All EU Member States must approve the accession. Hungary, led by Viktor Orbán, has openly opposed Ukraine’s membership bid.
However, Costa pointed out that Hungary supported granting Ukraine candidate status in 2022.
The fastest accession to the EU so far was Finland’s, taking less than three years from application to membership. Conversely, Turkey has been a candidate for nearly 30 years, with its process entirely stalled.
