Overview
- Ambassadors in the COREPER II format told Ursula von der Leyen’s chief of staff that capitals will not accept a membership‑first, integration‑later model for Ukraine.
- The rejected option, branded “reverse enlargement,” was among several Commission ideas intended to accelerate Kyiv’s entry, potentially by 2027.
- Several diplomats said the proposal is “dead on arrival,” pressing the executive to rethink acceleration plans without rewriting accession procedures.
- Draft European Council conclusions indicate support for sticking with the established accession framework that requires unanimous approval and verified reforms.
- A separate pipeline dispute linked by Hungary to its veto of a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine remains unresolved, while President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a 2027 target and tied a peace deal to securing a concrete accession date.