Ukraine’s EU membership to come with full voting rights, sources say

“It’s not even under discussion,” one source said.

“I don’t know where that [suggestion] came from, and we won’t raise it at the [upcoming] EU summit.”

A second diplomat said there are other ideas on how to speed up the bloc’s enlargement.

“Maybe it’s talked about in some circles, but not in political meetings or at the EU Council,” the source said.

“It’s very strange. I hear the opposite. Ukraine must join for political reasons. But then there will be a huge transition period for agriculture, for the movement of people, and so on. That’s more an Eastern and Central European concern.”

The source also warned that Ukraine’s accession could face backlash in member states. 

“And the other question is, will they [Europeans] be ready? Ukraine is big—it has agriculture, [difficult] social conditions, a war, and an unsettled border,” the diplomat said.

Earlier, Politico reported that the EU is considering reforming its accession process to accelerate Ukraine’s integration. One option would allow new members to join without voting rights at first, granting full rights only after key institutional reforms, such as a switch to qualified-majority voting. That initiative remains in the early discussion phase and requires unanimous approval from all member states.