Ukraine's EU Path: Stalled Reforms Threaten Accession and Western Funds
Ukraine's leadership stresses its European course, yet reforms needed for both EU accession and financing are stuck in parliament. If laws under the Ukraine Facility do not take effect by June 2027, the money will be lost.
An analysis by the Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda finds that in autumn 2026 Ukraine is close to a major formal breakthrough on its path to European Union (EU) membership, but domestic resistance to reforms endangers both accession and Western financial aid.
Where progress has been made
Some of the accession negotiation clusters have already been opened, and the outlet's diplomatic sources expect others to follow soon. Kyiv has also reached an understanding with Hungary after the change of government in Budapest: President Volodymyr Zelensky met Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, and parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk visited his Hungarian counterpart. At the same time, relations with Poland have worsened.
Reforms that are stuck
Sources say the hardest stage begins once the clusters are opened, because closing chapters will depend solely on Ukraine itself. The key test is a 10-point plan that is not formally part of the accession procedure. It covers changing how heads of law enforcement bodies are appointed and strengthening the independence of anti-corruption institutions. The president's team considers a commission with decisive international experts in selecting the prosecutor general to be contrary to the Constitution. New Deputy Prime Minister for European integration Vsevolod Chentsov has said the EU conditions do not clearly require a competitive selection commission.
In the European Commission's latest report on candidate countries, Ukraine was outpaced even by Moldova, and progress in areas such as anti-corruption came despite the authorities' actions.
Funds at risk
Under the EU's Ukraine Facility, money is paid in exchange for agreed reforms, but many of the required decisions are stuck in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. No funds have been lost yet; payments have simply been postponed. A payment request can be submitted no later than the second quarter of 2027, and if the laws do not take effect by June, the money will expire.
Some in Ukraine's elite also hope for "advance" EU entry within a peace deal, but no such mechanism exists and the EU is not yet ready to discuss it.
