EU plan for "simplified" membership for Ukraine reportedly worries member states

Brussels proposes a fundamental reform of the European Union's enlargement system. The controversial two-tier model would allow Ukraine to join the Union sooner, but without full decision-making rights, writes the Financial Times.

Kyiv would initially have no voting rights at summits or in the EU Council, but would gradually gain access to the single market, agricultural subsidies, and development funds in exchange for meeting post-accession milestones. This would represent a significant departure from the 1993 rules, which require all conditions to be met before accession.

The Commission sees EU membership as a key argument that President Volodymyr Zelensky would need to accept compromises in peace negotiations with Russia.

However, the proposal is causing serious concern among member states, which warn that it would undermine the value of membership, destabilize the Union, and be unfair to other candidates such as Montenegro and Albania.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has linked Ukraine's accession to security and post-war reconstruction. However, several diplomats warn that attempts to circumvent established rules could lead to serious divisions within the Union and open a "Pandora's box" of political risks.

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