The road is not paved with roses.
Hopes for Ukraine's early accession to the EU have been rekindled following several positive developments. In mid-June 2026, the EU moved the accession process for Ukraine and Moldova into a new phase, after a long period of stagnation. Accordingly, EU ambassadors agreed to open the first round of negotiations with these two candidate countries.
Commenting on the EU's "green light" move, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka considered it a "historic milestone" and a "major turning point" for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that this move by the Blue Flag Alliance provides important political and moral support for Ukraine.
This is the fruit of diplomatic efforts that Ukrainian officials have been promoting for some time. Kyiv's process of European integration was the main topic of talks between Volodymyr Zelensky and EU leaders, as well as leaders of Greece, Slovakia, and Poland, taking place on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels, Belgium in June 2026.
Despite acknowledging progress, Ukraine's path to realizing its "EU dream" is not a bed of roses. Having pursued the goal of joining the EU for many years and receiving strong political support from many EU member states, Ukraine still faces difficulties in meeting criteria related to reform, anti-corruption, economic governance, and improving law enforcement capacity.
Conflicts between Ukraine and some EU member states also pose an obstacle. Recently, Ukraine and Poland have had disagreements over historical issues. A public opinion poll in Poland indicated that a majority of the population opposes Ukraine's accession to the EU, showing a significant shift in public opinion as disagreements arise between the two countries. In a survey conducted last February, as many as 68.9% of Poles expressed support for Ukraine's future membership in the EU.
Facing immense pressure
On the EU side, the bloc also faces significant financial pressure in pursuing the admission of a country with enormous economic reconstruction needs like Ukraine. Internal disagreements within the EU regarding the manner and timing of Kyiv's admission, with Hungary's opposition being a major obstacle, have been a significant factor.
In late June, the EU was forced to adjust its plan to advance Ukraine's accession process due to a lack of agreement from Hungary. Instead of simultaneously opening five new areas of negotiation in July as planned, the EU now aims to open only two areas of negotiation with Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar affirmed that opening the first negotiating group with candidate countries is only the beginning of a long and complex process ahead.
Furthermore, the EU also faces potential risks regarding its expansion. The reality is that the more members the bloc has, the more difficult it becomes to find common ground and action within the bloc due to differences in viewpoints and interests among member states.
The EU continues to express its support for Kyiv. The bloc has disbursed the first tranche of over 3 billion euros from a large loan package for Ukraine, aimed at helping the Eastern European nation balance its budget and strengthen its defense capabilities.
The EU's need to adjust the negotiating roadmap for Ukraine's accession shows that Kyiv's journey to realizing its dream of European integration still faces many obstacles and depends on several factors: the development of the conflict, the results of reforms in Ukraine, and the level of readiness of EU members to welcome it.
European Council President Antonio Costa stated that promoting the admission of new members does not mean that the EU will lower the standards of the accession process.
BH (general)Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/hanh-trinh-nhieu-thach-thuc-546903.html
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