Ukraine is set to officially launch membership talks with the European Union, marking a significant milestone in the country's aspirations to deepen ties with the EU. The talks, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, come more than two years into Ukraine's conflict with Russia.
Deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration will lead Ukraine's delegation at an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg to align the country's laws and standards with those of the 27-nation bloc. Moldova, which applied for EU membership after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, will also participate in a separate intergovernmental conference to kick off its own accession process.
While Ukraine received candidate status in June 2022, the path to full membership may be lengthy, as seen in Turkey's almost two-decade-long accession talks with the EU. However, the initiation of talks signifies a strong show of solidarity from the EU towards Ukraine and Moldova, providing support beyond financial assistance.
The negotiations will cover 35 policy areas, or chapters, where candidate countries must align their laws and standards with those of the EU. These areas range from the free movement of goods to judicial rights and security, requiring unanimous agreement from all 27 member countries.
If Ukraine were to join the EU, it would become the largest member, surpassing France, and potentially influencing EU agriculture policy as a top grain producer. The country's ambition to join by 2030 hinges on implementing numerous institutional and legal reforms, particularly in combating corruption and reforming public administration and the judiciary.
Ukraine's progress towards EU membership sends a positive signal to other aspiring countries in the region, such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey, who have long-standing membership aspirations.
