Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba clarified that the indicative date for the expansion of the European Union until 2030 applies to all countries aspiring to join the EU, but actual accession could occur earlier.
Kuleba made this statement during an interview with Natalia Mosiychuk. He was responding to a question about the comments made by the Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, who mentioned the possibility of Ukraine's accession to the EU by 2030.
Kuleba explained that, on average, the process of a state joining the EU takes about 10 years from the moment it is granted candidate status for EU membership.
"We are progressing much faster now," said the Foreign Minister. He also provided an explanation for why the date of 2030 has been mentioned.
"Because within the European Union, there is a debate happening, and internally they say that neither the EU reform nor EU enlargement can go on forever. The Ukrainian case has awakened the European Union from its lethargic slumber," emphasized Kuleba.
The Minister explained that if he had been talking to someone from the EU about EU enlargement just before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he would have heard a monologue about enlargement fatigue, how it's not needed by anyone, and that it wouldn't happen in the foreseeable future.
"And the Ukrainian case has completely changed that. A week ago, I was speaking with EU ministers in Kyiv... and they say, 'Dmytro, Ukraine has completely transformed our perceptions of EU enlargement. A year ago, we weren't even thinking about it, and now we're moving there like a high-speed train,'" Kuleba said.
"In the European Union, they have realized that expansion must happen, that EU reform is needed. Informally, they've set a bar for themselves that these processes should be completed by 2030. Because if you don't set a deadline, it will drag on forever," Kuleba stated.
"The year 2030 is not just for Ukraine. They have this understanding that all enlargement should be completed by 2030," emphasized Kuleba.
