MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Kiev has firmly rejected any notions of a "light" or "limited" membership in the European Union, according to Igor Zhovkva, deputy head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office.
"I want to emphasize: we do not need ersatz membership," Zhovkva stated. "When we hear about light membership, the answer is a definite no. There will be no half-measures or partial memberships. Our goal is full membership, but this must be preceded by a clear political decision and a set date." He made these remarks in an interview with RBC-Ukraine news agency.
Zhovkva expressed optimism that a political decision on Ukraine’s EU accession could be reached by 2027. He also highlighted that Ukraine’s accession model will be "unique," as no similar procedures currently exist within the EU.
While acknowledging that Ukraine might initially receive "deferral periods" for certain sectors or have "limited voting rights on specific issues," Zhovkva emphasized that such arrangements should not impact the country’s foreign policy or security.
On February 19, 2019, then-President Pyotr Poroshenko - who is listed by Russia as an individual involved in extremist activity or terrorism - signed constitutional amendments affirming Ukraine’s course toward NATO and EU membership. In June 2022, Ukraine was granted EU candidate status. The accession negotiations aim to align Ukrainian legislation with EU laws, a process that typically exceeds a decade and lacks a strict timeline.
The European Commission proposed beginning accession negotiations as early as 2024; however, this plan faced obstacles, notably Hungary’s opposition. Zelensky has repeatedly affirmed Ukraine’s commitment to becoming EU-ready by 2027. Meanwhile, reports from Politico indicate that the EU is developing a five-step plan to accelerate Ukraine’s accession process.