The European Commission has praised Ukraine for its “remarkable commitment” to joining the European Union despite Russia’s ongoing war, but warned that Kyiv must strengthen judicial independence and step up efforts to fight corruption and protect civil society, according to a draft enlargement report seen by Reuters on Monday.
The report, expected to be officially adopted on Tuesday, highlights both progress and setbacks in Ukraine’s bid for EU membership, which it applied for just days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Despite wartime challenges and continued obstruction from Hungary, Ukraine has pressed ahead with reforms aimed at aligning with EU standards.
“Despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in on account of Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine continued to demonstrate remarkable commitment to the EU accession path over the past year,” the Commission said in the draft text.
However, the report warns that “recent negative trends, including growing pressure on the specialised anti-corruption agencies and civil society, must be decisively reversed.”
It cites concerns over a July decision that appeared to expand the control of the prosecutor general, a political appointee, over key anti-corruption bodies.
Following public outcry and rare protests, Kyiv quickly rolled back the move, but the incident alarmed European officials who view anti-corruption progress as central to Ukraine’s accession.
The Commission said Ukraine must make “more progress” in ensuring judicial independence, combating organised crime, and safeguarding democratic freedoms.
While acknowledging the country’s reform efforts under wartime conditions, the report stresses that further acceleration is essential if Kyiv hopes to meet its target of completing accession negotiations by 2028.
“The Commission is committed to support this ambitious objective but considers that to meet it an acceleration of the pace of reforms is required, notably with regards to the fundamentals, in particular rule of law,” the draft states.
Although nearly all EU governments publicly back Ukraine’s eventual membership, diplomats admit that full accession remains distant.
The process requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, a hurdle made higher by differing national interests and concerns about the bloc’s capacity to absorb new members.
In a broader recommendation, the Commission also suggested strengthening the EU’s future enlargement framework to prevent democratic backsliding among new members.
“Future Accession Treaties should contain stronger safeguards against backsliding on commitments made during the accession negotiations,” it said.
The draft report underscores both Europe’s continued political support for Ukraine and its insistence that lasting institutional reforms, not wartime resilience alone, will determine Kyiv’s path to eventual EU membership.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
