On 14 December 2023, Ukraine received permission to start accelerated negotiations on joining the European Union (EU). [1] This is a major boost for embattled Ukraine and an important message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, it could be years before the country actually becomes an EU member.
The EU was born after World War II as a trading bloc between Germany and France to prevent another war. The six founding members were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Since then, the EU has expanded to include 27 countries, most of them from Eastern Europe, the former communist bloc. The bloc was inspired by the idea that economic and political integration is the best way to promote international peace and prosperity. This led to the creation of a common currency in 1999 and pioneering rules on reducing carbon emissions and regulating technology giants.
Ukraine is one of the few countries willing to join the EU, which it sees as a path to prosperity and stability. While the EU is not a military alliance like the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), membership of the bloc is seen by some as a defensive wall against Russian influence. Ukraine officially applied for EU membership just one week after Russia’s aggression in February 2022. At the time, the Ukrainian capital Kiev was under threat of capture.
The start of membership talks is only a small step on a long journey. However, at a time when the United States of America’s (US) military support for Ukraine is weakening and Ukraine’s counter-attack has failed, this can be seen as a strong signal of solidarity with Ukraine.
EU officials have said that talks cannot officially start until Ukraine reforms on a number of issues. While the EU says that Ukraine has made progress on these issues in recent months, there is still a long way to go.
Every EU country has decided to support Ukraine’s application. Only Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Putin’s biggest allies, did not. Orban claims that Ukraine is not even ready to talk about EU membership. On 14 December 2023, Orban made a surprise move by abstaining from voting to allow Ukraine to start accession talks. [2]
Debt crises, migration waves, and Brexit have made the EU hesitant to enlarge in recent years. The growth of political attitudes such as Euroscepticism in many member states has also played a role. However, the urgency created by Russia’s continued aggression and Ukraine’s request for an accelerated assessment reversed the EU’s slow strategy of adding new members and revealed years of “enlargement fatigue”.
By seeking EU membership, Ukraine emphasizes its search for a more economically and politically stable future. EU membership is perceived not only as a boost to economic prosperity but also as a security shield against Russian influence. This is especially important in the context of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine’s EU accession process requires significant reforms in a number of areas. This means that Ukraine needs to make a serious effort to harmonize with EU standards. In particular, Hungary’s reservations and ethnic issues related to Ukraine represent political challenges in the EU accession process. It is important that the EU’s enlargement policies address the demands of candidate countries for internal reforms and provide more support for the accession process.
In conclusion, it is emphasized that Ukraine’s EU accession process is just the beginning and many challenges have to be overcome. The EU can support the reform processes of the candidate countries and implement its enlargement policies more effectively. Moreover, balanced and fair relations with other candidate countries in the region will strengthen the EU’s contribution to regional stability and security.
[1] “Zelenskyy Claims ‘Victory’ as EU Agrees to Open Ukraine Membership Talks”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/14/zelenskyy-hails-victory-as-eu-agrees-to-open-membership-talks-for-ukraine, (Date Accession: 15.12.2023).
[2] “EU to Open Membership Talks with Ukraine and Moldova”, ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/european-union-sorely-tested-promises-ukraine-intact-105649194, (Date Accession: 15.12.2023).
