European Commission discusses two-stage Ukraine’s EU accession, - FT
The European Commission is considering a two-stage model for accession to the EU, which could allow Ukraine to become a member of the union more quickly, but with limited powers at the initial stage.
This is reported by the Financial Times, as relayed by Censor.NET.
According to the publication, the European Commission is preparing preliminary proposals to change the current EU enlargement procedure, which has been in place since the early 1990s. The proposal involves introducing a two-stage accession model for Ukraine.
According to the concept under discussion, Ukraine could obtain formal membership in the EU without full voting rights at summits of leaders and meetings of ministers. At the same time, Kyiv would gradually gain access to the EU single market, agricultural subsidies, and development funds after completing certain stages following accession.
Peace negotiations
The publication notes that the discussions are taking place against the backdrop of possible peace talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine. The draft 20-point peace plan, which is being prepared with the participation of the US, mentions Ukraine's potential accession to the EU in 2027, although the European Commission acknowledges that full compliance with membership criteria may require up to ten years of reforms.
Brussels also recognizes that the prospect of EU membership is a key argument for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the context of possible difficult compromises during peace talks.
Tension among member states
At the same time, the idea of "easier" accession is causing concern among member states and other candidate countries. Diplomats fear that the two-tier model could undermine the principle of meritocratic enlargement, create different categories of membership, and cause tension with countries that have progressed further in negotiations, notably Montenegro and Albania.
