Dombrovskis: Ukraine's accession to EU to strengthen security, add growth potential

Ukraine's membership in the European Union (EU) in the current geopolitical situation will be a significant advantage in the security sphere and can add momentum to overall economic growth, said European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis Dombrovskis.

He said that it was a win-win scenario, with Ukraine becoming part of the EU as a strong player, particularly in the area of security, and that its potential could strengthen economic dynamics. He made the remarks during an address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Dombrovskis recalled that in recent years the EU had granted Ukraine candidate-country status and begun accession negotiations, creating an important political “anchor” for reforms and providing a clear European perspective for the country in the medium and long term.

The European commissioner said the argument that the EU could not absorb a large country like Ukraine was exaggerated, citing the 2004 enlargement when 10 countries, including Poland—which is comparable in population and economic size—joined the Union.

At the same time, Dombrovskis acknowledged that difficult issues would arise, particularly regarding the agricultural sector and competition in the EU market. He noted that such discussions had recently intensified with the introduction of autonomous trade measures, causing tension among farmers in Poland and several other countries.

He also emphasized that returning the issue of enlargement to the active EU agenda—including Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans—also meant discussing how the EU would function as a union of more than 30 countries, given existing challenges related to the veto powers of individual member states.