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EU analysis criticizes pace of reforms in Ukraine

2025-11-04 22:12:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Anyone who wants to join the EU has to offer something in return, and the reform efforts of candidate countries are evaluated every year. Montenegro is seen as a model student, while Ukraine lags behind.

Ukraine needs to accelerate the pace of its reforms if it wants to achieve its goals on the path to EU membership. This is the conclusion of an analysis presented in Brussels by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, and Enlargement Commissioner, Marta Kos.

Kallas acknowledged Ukraine's progress: the extensive reforms carried out during Russia's war of aggression demonstrated the country's extraordinary effort to join the EU. The report says that, despite its extremely difficult situation, Ukraine has shown an extraordinary commitment to the EU accession process over the past year.

However, recent negative developments, such as pressure on anti-corruption authorities and civil society, must be decisively reversed. Furthermore, the report's authors call for an impetus for harmonisation with EU standards on the protection of fundamental rights, as well as administrative and decentralisation reforms.

Zelensky calls on Orban

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Hungary to stop blocking Ukraine's accession. "We are fighting for our survival and we would very much like the Hungarian prime minister to support us or, at least, not block us," Zelensky said at a Euronews event, which he attended via video conference. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintains good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, rejects Ukraine's candidacy. In his opinion, Kiev is not ready to join the EU.

Concern about excessive expectations in Ukraine

The Ukrainian government has set itself the goal of completing EU accession negotiations before the end of 2028. However, the analysis of the necessary reforms clearly warns of the risk that this could generate excessively high expectations.

The Commission supports this ambitious goal, but notes that accelerating the pace of reforms is necessary to achieve it, as shown in the analysis.

In addition to Ukraine, the European Commission has also assessed the small neighboring country of Moldova and the Western Balkan countries of Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo as candidates for EU membership. "We must prepare our Union for a larger EU," said Enlargement Commissioner Kos.

Montenegro and Albania - high hopes for quick membership

Montenegro and Albania have the highest hopes for rapid membership. Kos praised the Balkan state of Montenegro, with a population of around 600,000. According to her, Albania has "made significant progress on the path to EU membership". She also stated that Albania is showing "unprecedented progress". Montenegro is the most advanced candidate and aims to complete negotiations with the EU by the end of next year. Albania hopes to take this step by the end of 2027.

Analyses have also been conducted for Turkey and Georgia, but in both cases, the accession process has been blocked due to democratic and rule of law deficiencies. Strong criticism has also been directed at Serbia. The government has slowed down the pace of reforms necessary for membership, Kos declared.

Any decision to expand the EU requires the unanimous support of the 27 current member states. According to a Eurobarometer survey published in September, 56% of EU citizens are in favor of enlargement. However, in France, this figure is only 43%, and in Germany, 49%./ DW