Ukraine Urges EU to Set a Membership Date, But Leaders Say No

At the Munich Security Conference, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a panel that European governments are not ready to give Ukraine a concrete membership date, even though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked for one as part of a peace deal with Russia. Zelenskiy reiterated on Saturday that a specific date is needed to secure final peace guarantees, but Kallas believes the member states still have work to do before committing. The idea of Ukraine joining the EU in 2027 appears on a 20‑point peace plan agreed by the United States, Ukraine and the EU. That plan aims to help Ukraine rebuild after the war, but many European leaders see a fixed date as unrealistic. Accession to the EU is normally a merit‑based process that depends on a country’s progress in aligning its laws and institutions with EU standards. A set date would bypass that gradual approach, which is why several governments are hesitant.Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics echoed Kallas’s view, saying that while the EU has been flexible in the past, it must also consider other aspirants such as Western Balkan states and Moldova. Rinkevics added that the possibility of a peace deal is uncertain, especially if Russia does not move. Ukraine applied for EU membership shortly after the full‑scale invasion began in February 2022, hoping to strengthen its political and economic ties with the West. However, the war has slowed progress and Hungary is currently blocking detailed membership talks. The debate highlights a tension between Ukraine’s urgent need for security guarantees and the EU’s cautious, step‑by‑step accession policy.