No shortcuts for Ukraine's EU accession, Dutch FM says. Reforms key to progress
#Ukraine #EU accession #Dutch Foreign Minister #reforms #European integration #membership criteria #foreign policy #Ukraine-EU relations
📌 Key Takeaways
- Dutch Foreign Minister emphasizes no expedited path for Ukraine's EU membership
- Ukraine must implement comprehensive reforms to advance accession process
- EU accession depends on meeting established criteria and standards
- Reforms are crucial for Ukraine's progress toward European integration
📖 Full Retelling
Two points remain high on Ukraine's agenda: surviving the Russian onslaught and joining the European Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky believes the two should be tied together, with his office proposing to engrave a set date for Ukraine's EU membership in a potential peace deal with Russia.
🏷️ Themes
EU Enlargement, Ukraine Reforms
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Original Source
No shortcuts for Ukraine's EU accession, Dutch FM says. Reforms key to progress by Oleksiy Sorokin March 5, 2026 6:42 PM 5 min read Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Tom Berendsen with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb. 28, 2026. (Yevhenii Zavhorodnii) Politics by Oleksiy Sorokin Two points remain high on Ukraine's agenda: surviving the Russian onslaught and joining the European Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky believes the two should be tied together, with his office proposing to engrave a set date for Ukraine's EU membership in a potential peace deal with Russia. Tom Berendsen, the new Dutch foreign minister, disagrees with this approach. "If you set a date, you need to make sure that you get (everything done before) the date. It needs to be a realistic date," Berendsen told the Kyiv Independent in an interview during his recent visit to the Ukrainian capital. Become a member – go ad‑free "And if you don't make it on that date, it will completely fit the Russian frame. That's why a date, we think, is not a good idea." The latest 20-point peace plan proposal drafted by Ukraine and seen by the Kyiv Independent earmarked Ukraine joining the EU in 2027 or 2028 under a fast-tracked process. "The Netherlands, we see the future of Ukraine is in the European family. But for us, the criteria remain very important," Berendsen said. Berendsen added that Ukraine also has homework to do, with a number of steps to be completed before Kyiv can join. Become a member – go ad‑free "To make sure that you reach the Copenhagen criteria, the criteria for accession, there are many chapters that need to be done. One example is the anti-corruption and judicial reforms," Berendsen said. read also "Progress is being made, but we expect more steps there as well," he added. This comes on the heels of a turbulent 2025 for Ukraine’s anti-corruption sector. In July, Ukrainian leadership launched an unprecedented attack on anti-graft institutions, on...
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