Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently stated that Ukraine is making significant strides towards joining the European Union (EU). On Tuesday, he shared via X that the European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Package report indicates Ukraine is confidently progressing and is ready to open clusters 1, 2, and 6. He described this as the highest rating Ukraine has ever received, showing that the country is reforming according to European standards even amidst ongoing Russian aggression.
Since applying for EU membership just days after the Russian invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine has been a candidate state. The commission’s report highlighted Ukraine’s “remarkable resilience” and strong commitment despite the current challenges, though it raised concerns about maintaining a robust anti-corruption framework.
In July, Zelensky signed a contentious bill criticized for compromising the independence of Ukraine’s main anti-corruption bodies, namely the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. After public outcry and international pressure, he later reversed those changes on July 31.
The report emphasized the need for Ukraine to preserve the independence of its anti-corruption institutions and expand NABU’s jurisdiction. Ukraine has been working on a roadmap related to the rule of law and has implemented an action plan concerning ethnic minorities, which the Commission evaluated positively. According to them, Ukraine meets the criteria for opening clusters related to fundamentals, internal market, and external relations.
The expectations are that Ukraine will fulfill the conditions needed to move forward with the remaining clusters by year-end. Zelensky mentioned that the Ukrainian government aims to conclude accession negotiations by the end of 2028. However, the Commission believes accelerated reforms, particularly regarding the rule of law, will be essential for this ambitious target.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko expressed in an article for X that the latest report shows the best progress in three years, reaffirming that EU membership is a key priority for the President, Parliament, and Government. Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has previously hindered Ukraine’s EU accession efforts, indicated he had suggested a “strategic agreement” with Ukraine as part of a deal for full membership negotiations.
