Fast-track accession of Ukraine to the EU under the U.S. peace plan would break the bloc’s tradition of admitting new members – FT

Western media are confirming the leaks about the U.S. peace plan that have been circulating for several days, according to which the document envisions Ukraine joining the European Union by 2027.

This was reported, in particular, by the Financial Times, citing people familiar with the document.

“Accession to the EU by 1 January 2027 is specified in the latest draft of the peace proposal on Ukraine that U.S. and Ukrainian officials are discussing with the support of Brussels,” the publication says.

“Including this point in the peace agreement would make membership a done deal for Kyiv,” the sources add.

At the same time, European interlocutors told the paper that such a rapid accession would “upend the bloc’s merit-based approach to admitting new members,” since Kyiv has not yet formally completed any of the 36 stages of accession and has not carried out many of the required reforms.

Recall that earlier Ukrainian media reported that the new U.S. peace plan envisions that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will leave Donbas, Ukraine will abandon its NATO course, but will join the European Union by 2027.