Ukraine committed to EU accession, advancing on key reforms - European Commission

The European Commission states that Ukraine, despite the war waged against it by Russia, remains firmly committed to its path to EU accession, having successfully completed the screening process and advanced in key reforms.

This is stated in a statement by the European Commission, distributed on the occasion of the publication of the EC report on the progress of candidate countries to the European Union. The report, known as the "Enlargement Package," is an annual one and contains an assessment of the progress of all candidate countries, of which there are currently ten: Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Turkey and Georgia.

As for Ukraine, the EC noted that Kyiv adopted roadmaps on the rule of law, public governance and the functioning of democratic institutions, as well as an action plan on national minorities, which the Commission assessed positively.

"Ukraine has fulfilled the conditions necessary to open clusters: one (foundations), six (external relations) and two (internal market). The Commission expects Ukraine to fulfill the conditions for opening the remaining three clusters and is working to ensure that the (European) Council is in a position to proceed with the opening of all clusters by the end of the year," the European Commission said.

The press release also highlighted that the Ukrainian government has stated its aim to provisionally close accession negotiations by the end of 2028. "The Commission is committed to supporting this ambitious goal, but believes that achieving it requires accelerating the pace of reforms, in particular on fundamental issues, including the rule of law," the EC stated.

As for the annual Enlargement Package itself, the EC said that this document "confirms that the momentum for enlargement is high on the EU's priority agenda and that the accession of new Member States is increasingly achievable." "Consistency and adherence to a merit-based approach are key to successful accession to the EU," the EC stressed.

Commenting on the document, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "We are more committed than ever to making EU enlargement a reality. Because a larger Union means a stronger and more influential Europe on the world stage. But this must and will remain a merit-based process."

According to her, the package contains specific recommendations to all partners. "And to all of them we say: EU accession is a unique offer. A promise of peace, prosperity and solidarity. With the right reforms and strong political will, you can all seize this opportunity," the EC President is convinced.

Earlier, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka called the annual enlargement report the best in three years. According to him, the European Commission has recognized for the first time that Ukraine is demonstrating record progress in most areas of reform.