Ukraine could join bloc by 2029 – EU commissioner

Every EU candidate country, including Ukraine, could join the bloc by 2029 if they meet all membership criteria, according to the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Varhelyi was pushed to give a timeline for candidate countries' accession into the EU. The list includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Kosovo, which is not internationally recognized, is also listed as a potential candidate.

Varhelyi would not give an exact deadline for any country, but said Brussels has provided them with “all the tools they need to make themselves ready by the end of the next mandate.” 

The EU Commission’s next mandate starts this December and ends in 2029. Varhelyi added that the EU has prepared specific plans for each candidate to help them carry out the necessary reforms.

“I think this is a timeframe enough for anyone who really wants to join the European Union. To get down to work and to deliver on that,” the commissioner said, adding that EU accession is a “merit-based process,” which means that it is difficult to establish hard deadlines.

His comments came as the EU Commission unveiled its annual Enlargement Package providing a detailed assessment of candidates’ progress on the road to joining the bloc. The report on Ukraine noted the country’s progress in reforms, the judiciary and the fight against organized crime, but said corruption remained a concern.

In 2019, Ukraine set EU and NATO membership as national goals in its constitution. Following the escalation of hostilities with Russia in February 2022, Kiev formally applied to join the EU and was granted candidate status the same year. In June, the EU opened accession negotiations with Ukraine, although many Western officials have suggested that it will take decades for the country to join.