Ukraine could join the European Union by 2029 if it completes the necessary reforms, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said on Oct. 29.
To advance this goal, the EU has introduced specific initiatives, such as the “Growth Plan” and the “Ukraine Plan,” aimed at accelerating reform processes in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans. Ukraine submitted its plan on March 20, detailing its vision for reconstruction, modernization, and reforms essential to its EU accession journey.
Ukraine has made significant strides toward EU membership since applying in February 2022, and receiving candidate status by June of that year. In December 2023, EU leaders agreed to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, marking a pivotal advancement in its integration efforts.
The European Commission has recently praised Ukraine’s progress on critical reforms, including those related to the rule of law, judicial system, and anti-corruption measures, though it emphasizes that further reforms are still required.
“With the Growth Plan, we have made it possible for the Western Balkans, for Moldova, but also for Ukraine [with the Ukraine Facility], to complete the reforms and to have everything ready and to become a member by the end of the next mandate (of the European Commission),” Varhelyi noted.
In June, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed confidence that Ukraine would achieve full membership in the European Union. The first intergovernmental conference on Ukraine’s EU accession took place in Luxembourg on June 25, officially launching accession negotiations between Ukraine and the European Union.
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