EU shelves ‘reverse membership’ plan for Ukraine
European Commission (Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq)
EU
member states have rejected the European Commission’s proposal to grant
Ukraine a form of “reverse membership” as part of ongoing peace negotiations,
Euronews reported
on March 5, citing diplomatic sources.
Objections surfaced during an informal dinner on the evening of March 4 between EU ambassadors and Commission officials, one unnamed participant said.
“The idea behind that dinner was to bring back a certain degree of political realism,” the source said.
“Our priority is to firmly anchor Ukraine in Europe, but do so with feasible actions.”
Under the Commission’s proposal, Ukraine would formally become an EU member but initially lack most membership benefits, including voting rights, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and cohesion funding programs. Those benefits would be extended gradually as Kyiv met required reforms and benchmarks, effectively reversing the usual accession trajectory.
Diplomats at the dinner met the concept with skepticism, and the lack of enthusiasm in the room suggested the idea was unlikely to move forward, one source said. Another diplomat criticized the Commission for fostering the “illusion” that enlargement could be purely political rather than merit based.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
