Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas gave an interview to a newspaper, outlining Ukraine’s path toward European Union membership. She cautioned that Ukrainian authorities should not expect a simple gift or a fast-track decision when they seek to join the bloc.
She emphasized that Ukraine has already carried a heavy load and must continue to build on the reforms it has pursued so far. The prime minister underscored that Ukraine will need to demonstrate an extraordinary level of effort, effectively giving more than the expected 100 percent, to meet all EU requirements.
According to Kallas, Kyiv must prove its readiness and consistently comply with the rules that govern the political union. Only then could the EU consider accepting Ukraine as a full member, with the necessary political alignment and compliance with shared standards.
In June, Kallas also expressed that Ukraine’s NATO membership might currently hold greater strategic importance than EU accession. She noted that negotiations on EU membership would begin only after Ukraine satisfies a set of conditions—conditions she described as demanding and concrete—after which the Union could indicate its support and move toward welcoming Ukraine into its orbit.
Previously, the prime minister had hinted that a notable development could unfold at the NATO summit scheduled for Vilnius in July, signaling potential milestones for Ukraine on the security alliance front. The messages indicate a careful balance between accelerating security commitments and maintaining rigorous adherence to alliance criteria.
These remarks reflect a broader debate among European leadership about how to manage Ukraine’s aspirations amid competing strategic priorities, including defense assurances, economic reforms, and governance standards. Observers in Canada and the United States interpret these positions as signals of how Western partners plan to structure support for Ukraine while ensuring a coherent, rule-based enlargement framework within both the European Union and NATO. The discussions stress that practical steps, reform progress, and steadfast political determination will shape the timetable for any future integration decisions, rather than promises of rapid or automatic acceptance. — Attribution: Reuters