How EU decided to bring Ukraine in and what Kyiv needs to be ready for
Marta Kos is the European Commissioner for enlargement. That' why her role is especially important for Ukraine. Although the final decision on admitting new members to the European Union always rests with the member states, the European Commission’s "technical" role in the process cannot be overstated.
Kos’s visit to Ukraine (preceded by a trip to Moldova) took place shortly after the EU began openly discussing new approaches for Ukraine and other candidate countries seeking membership.
Read more about the signals that the Commissioner for Enlargement brought to Kyiv in the article by Sergiy Sydorenko, European Pravda's editor: New steps towards EU membership: what idea Marta Kos brought to Kyiv and what could go wrong.
Kos arrived in Ukraine after visiting Chișinău, where she devoted considerably more attention to Moldova. She spent at least three days there (possibly four, as her Sunday schedule was not disclosed) and travelled throughout the country.
According to European Pravda, a similar programme had initially been planned for Ukraine.
The visit to Ukraine was originally intended to last two days but was ultimately shortened to one. Sources on both the Ukrainian and Brussels sides insist that the reduction was due solely to security concerns, although the Commissioner had stayed overnight in Ukraine without issue during the winter of 2026.
However, when it comes to substance rather than diplomatic protocol, Kos’s most important statements were made in Kyiv, not Chișinău.
In several meetings and public appearances, she emphasised that the EU now has greater clarity regarding Ukraine’s path towards membership.
During a meeting with Ukrainian journalists, Kos outlined, and even sketched on paper to illustrate her point, three possible approaches to Ukraine’s further integration into the European Union. She explained that there is now a clear understanding of which path will be followed.
The idea is to grant Ukraine (and other candidate countries) access to certain benefits and privileges currently reserved for EU member states before formal accession takes place.
Brussels has coined a name for this approach: "accelerated gradual integration". Although the model has not yet been officially approved and many details remain unclear, Marta Kos stated during her visit that a shift in the EU’s enlargement strategy is virtually a settled matter.
While the new accession framework is still being developed, several of its elements are already known: integration will be gradual and progress will depend on reforms.
The main indicators used to assess Ukraine’s readiness for membership will be the fundamental reforms, including the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, human rights, democratic institutions and related areas.
"The more progress Ukraine achieves on these fundamental issues, the more opportunities there will be for deeper integration even before accession, and the faster you will become part of our family," Kos explained.
According to her, it is crucial to avoid any perception that reforms are being rolled back, especially in the areas of anti-corruption policy, the judiciary and the independence of key institutions.
While in Kyiv, she urged members of the Ukrainian parliament to pass EU-integration-related legislation. Among other things, Kos called on lawmakers to set aside their disagreements and support draft law No.13165-2 on judicial integrity declarations.
The Commissioner’s pressure had an effect. The very next day, on Tuesday, parliament passed bill No.13165-2.
However, the problem lies elsewhere.
The law will probably help unblock EU funding, but it is unlikely to deliver the genuine reform that the EU intended to encourage through this requirement. In its adopted form, the legislation reportedly contradicts even the requirements of the "Kachka–Kos Plan", and, according to European Pravda, officials in Brussels are aware of this.