In recent months, several EU officials have said that the bloc is exploring ways to expedite Ukraine's accession, with some suggesting that Kyiv could join the European Union as early as 2027. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has echoed this optimism, stating that Ukraine would be ready by then. Ukraine formally became an EU candidate in June 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February of that year. While EU accession is a lengthy and technically complex process (requiring compliance with extensive criteria grouped into six policy "clusters"), the European Commission stated in December 2025 that Ukraine had made significant progress across multiple areas. Still, with the war ongoing and Ukraine lagging on issues such as anti-corruption efforts and judicial reform, EU officials have increasingly argued that alternative pathways to membership should be explored. These include proposals for a phased or sequential accession, under which Ukraine would join the European Union...
