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EU Enlargement Chief Praises Ukraine’s Reform Momentum

by Roman Cheplyk
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
1 MIN
EU Enlargement Chief Praises Ukraine’s Reform Momentum

Commissioner Marta Kos urges the Council to open the first negotiation cluster, calling Kyiv’s EU path a core security imperative

Key Messages from Marta Kos (European Parliament, 3 June)

  1. Reform Delivery Despite War

    • Ukraine has met all 36 indicators under the “Ukrainian Plan,” covering judiciary, anti-corruption, energy-market liberalisation, corporate governance and business-climate measures.

  2. Next Procedural Step

    • Both Ukraine and Moldova have “done their homework.”

    • The EU Council should authorise opening Cluster 1: “Fundamentals” without delay.

  3. Strategic Rationale

    • Advancing accession talks is framed as a security guarantee for Europe—“our greatest security challenge since World War II.”

  4. Timeline Outlook

    • Kos reiterated her 28 May statement: all negotiation clusters could be opened by year-end 2025 if member states maintain current momentum.


Implications for Stakeholders

Stakeholder Impact
Ukrainian Government Continued validation of reform agenda; incentive to sustain legislative pace.
EU Member States Heightened pressure to co-ordinate positions in the Council ahead of formal cluster launch.
Investors & Business Community Signal of regulatory convergence; improved risk profile for medium-term commitments.

Kos concluded that Ukraine’s alignment is “political, legal and economic”—and that rapid progress is essential to underpin both European stability and the credibility of the EU enlargement process.

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