Ukraine’s top EU negotiator says the war-torn country will not seek a “discount” on its membership commitments

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The decision to start accession negotiations this week is a “big day” for her country, said Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

“This is the absolute will of the Ukrainian people. And it is irreversible. And you saw how the Ukrainians stood by their decision,” Stefanishyna said in Kyiv on Sunday.

It was her first interview since being appointed chief negotiator for EU accession.

EU member states agreed on Friday to start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova – despite vocal opposition from Hungary, which takes over the EU Council presidency on July 1. The accession process varies from country to country but could take years. Turkey began its accession talks almost two decades ago and is still waiting for full membership.

A “historic step”

Stefanishyna will preside over the opening of accession talks in Luxembourg on Tuesday, with several senior government officials expected to attend. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address the opening ceremony, but Stefanishyna did not say whether he would do so in person or online.

Zelensky described Friday’s decision as a “historic step” and added in an online post: “Generations of our people are realizing their European dream.” Ukraine is returning to Europe.

An opinion poll conducted by the European Parliament earlier this year suggested that EU citizens broadly support Ukraine’s application for membership, but are less in favour of speeding up the process.

Ukraine, Stefanishyna said, is not seeking special treatment.

“Ukraine is moving forward quickly,” she said, “without skipping any elements of the process (and) without asking for a discount.”

Russia is trying to use economic pressure and ultimately military force to thwart its former Soviet neighbor’s efforts to join Western alliances that it considers hostile.

Deadly protests a decade ago demanded that the government stick to its promise to build closer ties with the EU and put the country on a collision course with Russia.

“This is a big day for everyone,” said Stefanishyna, who often showed emotion when describing the integration process. “It has been about two years since Ukraine applied for membership. The war is still raging, but the accession is just beginning now.”

Stefanishyna, a 38-year-old lawyer who has worked in civil service and government positions since her early twenties, will lead Ukraine’s 35-member delegation in the negotiations with the EU.

EU ambitions

In 2019, Ukraine amended its constitution to reflect these aspirations and submitted an official application to join the EU on 28 February 2022 – five days after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

If France joins, its neighbouring EU members Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Ukraine would overtake France and become the largest member of the Union, shifting the Union’s centre of gravity further east.

Together with Moldova, it joins a long list of other candidate countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey – some of which have had accession ambitions for decades.

Ukraine hopes to join by 2030.

Although Ukraine has been praised for its progress since joining, it must implement dozens of institutional and legal reforms required for membership. The daunting list is led by anti-corruption measures and includes comprehensive reforms of public administration, the judiciary and market rules.

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In Ukraine, more than 1,000 people are already involved in the accession process, which will proceed without a summer break.

“The next six months will be crucial for our key negotiators,” she said, adding that Ukraine must present a clear roadmap for reforms.

“Ukraine’s accession process and membership are top priorities for our president,” she said. “Ukraine is a bit crazy and obsessed with the EU accession process.”