The European Union on Thursday handed Ukraine a long list of reforms needed to join the bloc, determined to push the process forward despite the and objections from
Top EU officials and diplomats meeting in Lviv, in western Ukraine, said a list of demands covering roughly half of the required reforms would allow progress while formal negotiations remain blocked by Budapest.
EU membership has become the central goal for Ukraine鈥檚 effort to anchor itself to the West as NATO prospects stall.
Here鈥檚 a look at the main challenges on Ukraine鈥檚 road to the European Union.
Orb谩n is an obstacle for Ukraine鈥檚 ambitions
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n insists accession talks shouldn鈥檛 proceed during wartime and has cited the rights of and economic risks. Despite being at odds with all other member states, Hungary has stuck to that position and did not send a representative to Thursday鈥檚 meeting. Breaking with the broader EU consensus, Budapest has also maintained
Marie Bjerre, Denmark鈥檚 minister for European affairs, said the EU was moving ahead anyway. 鈥淚t is very clear that we are 26 member countries that see a future with Ukraine in the EU. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when,鈥� she told reporters in Lviv.
Cyprus takes up the challenge
Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 as a war-divided island and could offer Ukraine a blueprint for accession. The island will take over the EU鈥檚 rotating presidency from Denmark on Jan. 1 and has promised to continue work on Ukraine鈥檚 bid.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Cyprus鈥� deputy minister for European affairs, Marilena Raouna, praised Kyiv鈥檚 鈥渆xtraordinary political will鈥� to deliver on key reforms.
鈥淒espite Russia鈥檚 ongoing war of aggression, the Ukrainian people continue to defend not only their sovereignty,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut also the very principles on which our union stands: democracy, freedom, human dignity and respect for fundamental rights.鈥�
A long to-do list
Ukraine must align its administration with a host of EU systems, practices and rules before joining the bloc, and the required reforms are divided into six 鈥渃lusters.鈥� The process is expected to take at least two years.
Detailed requirements within three of those clusters were agreed with Ukraine on Thursday, covering the rule of law and democratic institutions, the internal market and external relations.
Ukraine鈥檚 deputy prime minister, Taras Kachka, acknowledged that scandal that rocked the government had made rule-of-law reforms a priority, adding that the pace of alignment was now up to Kyiv.
鈥淲e found a way to ensure that the enlargement process continues with the same tempo, despite the fact that we still lack formal unanimity,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have a very clear understanding of the benchmarks, what鈥檚 on the to-do list and everything else.鈥�
The bloc鈥檚 biggest member?
Ukraine is in the official accession queue with eight other hopefuls 鈥� Albania, Bosnia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey 鈥� but negotiations are at different stages and not all are active.
Counting territory occupied by Russia, Ukraine would be the EU鈥檚 largest member measured by land size if it joined, overtaking France.
An agricultural powerhouse and geographically important for energy, Ukraine as an EU member would also counter Russia鈥檚 influence and extend the union鈥檚 values eastward.
Marta Kos, the EU enlargement commissioner who led Thursday鈥檚 talks, said giving Kyiv a clear road map would help accelerate change.
鈥淩eforms are at the center of this process, and nobody can veto Ukraine from doing these reforms,鈥� she said. 鈥淯kraine will become a member of the EU, and nobody can block it.鈥�
____
Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
