EU Praises Ukraine’s Progress Toward Membership but Urges Stronger Anti-Corruption Reforms

The European Commission has acknowledged Ukraine’s “remarkable commitment” to joining the European Union but warned that Kyiv must intensify efforts to fight corruption and strengthen judicial independence. According to a draft enlargement report seen by Reuters, Ukraine has shown strong dedication to its EU accession path despite facing immense challenges from Russia’s ongoing war.

Ukraine formally applied for EU membership shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, its progress toward joining the bloc has been slowed by internal reforms and political hurdles, including Hungary’s opposition to advancing membership talks.

The Commission commended Ukraine’s progress in launching reform processes but noted concerns over judicial independence, organized crime, and pressure on civil society. A particular point of concern was a July move that expanded the prosecutor general’s control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and a specialized prosecution unit—an action quickly reversed after domestic protests. Brussels officials described this as a troubling sign for Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts.

“Recent negative trends, including growing pressure on specialized anti-corruption agencies and civil society, must be decisively reversed,” the report stated.

EU accession requires unanimous approval from all member states, and while most European governments back Ukraine’s ambitions, full membership remains a long-term goal. Kyiv aims to complete accession talks by the end of 2028, but the Commission emphasized that faster progress on rule of law and democratic reforms is essential to meet that target.

The report also proposed stronger safeguards in future EU accession treaties to ensure new member states uphold democratic standards, the rule of law, and human rights.