MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. The European Union has refused to allow Ukraine to join in 2027 out of concern that in case of an early admission Kiev would not implement the necessary reforms, newspaper Strana reports.

According to it, the Europeans will not allow Ukraine to join the European Union until it is rebuilt to their patterns and establishes tight controls over the internal processes.

Strana says the Ukrainian media has recently published a document, which allegedly sets out more expanded EU requirements for Ukraine's accession to the union.

The Europeans have not confirmed or denied the authenticity of this document.

The story says the Ukrainian government may react particularly sharply to the demand for a further restructuring of the judicial system, prosecutor's offices and other law enforcement agencies under the European models. The requirements also include strengthening the "independence" of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the High Anti-Corruption Court, which in the Ukrainian establishment have been considered an instrument of Western influence on the country's governance system since their creation.

If we add to this the institution of "independent supervisory board members" being introduced in state-owned companies, then the key sectors of the economy may be taken out of government control, Strana notes. According to the publication, such demands cause quiet sabotage expressed in the slowing down the adoption of laws on the reform of law enforcement agencies.

The European Union's refusal

The European Commission proposed to start negotiations on Ukraine's admission to the European Union as early as 2024, but these plans were thwarted by Hungary's position. Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly argued that Kiev should do everything possible to be technically ready to join the EU by 2027.

Earlier, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said in an interview with Bloomberg that Ukraine would not be able to join the European Union by 2027 under the existing procedure. According to the agency, reviewing the multi-year EU accession process has become one of the main topics of recent weeks after head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in Kiev that she could not guarantee Ukraine's accession by 2027. The EC is developing scenarios for a gradual granting of membership rights to Ukraine. The EU countries are split with some states, including Germany, warning against relaxing the requirements, agency sources say. According to it, the EU leaders will discuss this issue at a summit on March 19.