Ukraine could be granted associate membership in the EU without voting rights
The European Union is discussing the idea of temporarily restricting the rights of new member states, specifically by denying them the right to veto key decisions. This could also apply to Ukraine as a future member of the bloc. At the same time, Kyiv has already stated that it supports only full membership without restrictions, according to The Guardian
Discussions are ongoing within the European Union regarding the future of the bloc’s expansion, and one idea currently being actively debated in Brussels involves a possible temporary restriction on the rights of new EU members, specifically the right to veto in sensitive policy areas.
These discussions have been prompted by ongoing conflicts within the Union, particularly the stance of Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, which has repeatedly blocked decisions on foreign policy and support for Ukraine, forcing European officials to seek ways to make the decision-making process more flexible and predictable. According to The Guardian, the European Commission and member states are considering a mechanism whereby new member states, in the first years after accession, may not be granted the full right to block decisions on sanctions, foreign policy, or tax issues, and the relevant provisions could be enshrined directly in the accession treaties.
At the same time, the EU is discussing so-called “associated membership” for Ukraine, which, according to some politicians, could serve as an intermediate stage between candidate status and full membership, granting access to some institutions and participation in the Union’s work, but without voting rights.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly supported the idea, believing that such a format could accelerate Ukraine’s integration into European structures; however, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has effectively rejected this scenario, emphasizing equality. “Ukraine’s place in the European Union must be full—full-fledged and equal,” Zelenskyy stated.
Brussels acknowledges that expanding the EU to more than 35 countries could complicate the decision-making process due to the unanimity principle, so the idea of “safeguards” for new members is increasingly being discussed as a compromise between the need for expansion and maintaining the Union’s governability.
According to the European Commission’s estimates, Ukraine could potentially complete accession negotiations in the coming years, but the final decision on membership will depend not only on reforms but also on the political will of all EU member states and the development of the war situation.
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