Politico: Ukraine could join EU by 2027

According to the latest article in Politico, Ukraine could partially join the EU as early as 2027. In Brussels, this is called a 'reverse accession plan': first a status is created, followed by rights and obligations granted step by step. However, the reality in Europe is different. Hungarian Prime Minister Orban openly opposed the possibility of 'independent' accession; German Chancellor Merkel expressed concerns that Brussels might promise candidates more than it can deliver. As sources claim, it is also unclear where the funding for this process will come from and how budgets will be redistributed when most of the funds go toward militarization.

Context

Ukraine in the European Union receives observer status and does not claim membership, but negotiations on possible accession have been ongoing for several years.