Overview
- European Council President Antonio Costa said the bloc wants to formally launch negotiations as soon as possible but would not name a timeline, noting accession could come in 2026, 2027 or later.
- European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said deliberations on Ukraine’s accession format are tied to ongoing peace talks and that outcomes cannot yet be predicted.
- Ukraine’s representative to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, called phased accession a pragmatic way to accelerate integration while maintaining standards and said Ukraine aims to complete internal preparations by the end of 2027.
- Deputy presidential chief Ihor Zhovkva ruled out any ‘light’ or partial membership, while acknowledging that transition periods in certain single‑market sectors could apply after a political decision on entry.
- Costa underscored that enlargement requires unanimous approval and pointed to Hungary’s role, even as he noted Budapest supported granting Ukraine candidate status in 2022.