Ukraine’s simplified EU accession plan has caused concern in Brussels: what is the reason?

The European Commission is developing a simplified plan for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which envisages a two-tier membership model. The decision could speed up Kyiv’s accession, but has also raised concerns in European capitals about the consequences for the Union.

This is reported by the Financial Times .

Brussels is preparing proposals to change the EU accession system, which has been in place since the Cold War. A two-tier model is being discussed that would allow Ukraine to join more quickly, including access to parts of the single market, agricultural subsidies and domestic development financing after certain milestones are met.

Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Kyiv sees membership in the union as a key element of its post-war future and a confirmation of its pro-Western course.

The mention of Ukraine joining in 2027 is included in a 20-point peace plan with the participation of the United States, which is currently being discussed. EU officials note that Ukraine may need a decade of reforms to meet strict criteria for accession.

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures… We are not undermining enlargement. We are making the concept of enlargement broader. The rules were written over 30 years ago. And they need to be more flexible. This is a once-in-a-generation moment, we must seize it,” said a senior EU diplomat.

However, the proposal has raised concerns among diplomats in some countries. Some fear that a simplified model would undermine the stability of the Union and anger other candidates for membership.

“This is a trap set by Putin and Trump, and we are falling into it,” said one EU diplomat.

Meanwhile, Mujtaba Rahman of Eurasia Group added that the EU is once again caught between a rock and a hard place. It has no choice but to accelerate Ukraine’s accession, but doing so would open a Pandora’s box of political and strategic risks that no one in Brussels fully understands.

Ukraine’s accession process is being held up by Hungary, which is blocking unanimous approval of the opening and closing of negotiation “chapters.” EU and Ukrainian representatives hope that the signing of the US peace plan will force Budapest to give in.

Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Ukraine’s accession is a key security guarantee and an important factor in the country’s growth.

“You are asking huge, complex questions with this approach. There are so many possible unintended outcomes,” said a senior EU diplomat, noting the risks of a two-tier system for other candidates and the Union’s close partners.

As previously reported, Ukraine officially received a negotiating position from the European Union in Lviv on three key clusters, which will become the basis for further technical work on EU accession.

Recall that European Commissioner Marta Kos and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka presented a joint action plan of Ukraine and the EU, which contains 10 key reforms.

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