EU mulls break from 30-year accession rules to speed Ukraine’s entry

According to the latest report by the Financial Times, Brussels is examining a far-reaching overhaul of the European Union’s accession system that would replace the framework used since the early post–cold war era with a two-tier model designed to enable the rapid admission of Ukraine as part of a future peace agreement with Russia.

Although the ideas remain preliminary, seven senior officials involved in the internal discussions said the emerging concept has already caused significant concern in multiple EU capitals, which fear that a fast-track or “enlargement-lite” process could carry profound political and institutional risks for the union.

Ukraine, granted EU candidate status shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, views eventual membership as a central component of its postwar reconstruction and as a strategic confirmation of its westward orientation. Drafts of a US-led 20-point peace plan under negotiation include a reference to Ukraine joining the EU in 2027, despite EU assessments that Kyiv likely requires up to a decade of reforms to satisfy existing accession criteria.

European Commission officials recognise that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may only be able to contemplate politically painful concessions in peace talks, including territorial compromises, if he can present EU membership as a major strategic victory. To that end, the preliminary mechanism under review would allow Ukraine to join the EU but initially with sharply limited decision-making authority. For example, normal voting rights in European Council summits and ministerial meetings would not be granted at the outset.

Under the developing proposals, Ukraine would gradually gain access to segments of the single market, agricultural subsidies, and internal development funds as it completes post-membership milestones. This would depart significantly from the 1993 accession rules requiring candidate states to adopt the full body of EU law before joining. A senior EU diplomat defended the rethink, arguing that extraordinary circumstances demand greater flexibility.

However, diplomats from member states and other aspiring candidate countries expressed deep reservations, warning that the proposal risks destabilising the union, devaluing membership, and creating political inequities. One EU diplomat called the concept “a trap set by Putin and Trump,” warning that it could fracture unity. Analysts note that Brussels must reconcile the political imperative to accelerate Ukraine’s accession with the potential “Pandora’s box” of long-term institutional risks.

Ukraine’s current accession path has been slowed by Hungary, which has blocked unanimous decisions on technical “chapters.” EU and Ukrainian officials believe that if the US formally joins a peace agreement, Budapest — aligned closely with President Donald Trump — may be compelled to lift its objections.

Several member states remain adamantly opposed to any model that embeds loopholes or formalises a two-tier EU. Others fear the impact on existing candidates such as Montenegro and Albania, and on states with little recent progress, including Bosnia and Türkiye. Uncertainty also surrounds how the proposal would affect non-member partners integrated into the single market, such as Norway, or countries like the UK. As one senior diplomat said, the proposal raises “huge, difficult questions” with unpredictable consequences.

By Tamilla Hasanova