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EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernova believes that the prediction of Ukraine joining the European Union by the end of this decade is realistic.
In an interview with European Pravda, she noted that Ukraine’s proactive approach towards EU membership, starting with its application in the early days of the full-scale war, has “broken the mold.” The accelerated pace compared to other candidate countries could continue.
“I’ve said this before and I’ll repeat it: I believe the goal set by President Michel for Ukraine to join the EU by the end of the decade is realistic,” Mathernova stated.
When asked specifically about the year 2030, she reiterated her belief in this timeline.
However, she emphasized that joining the EU is not just a technical negotiation process, which itself takes time, but also a political ratification process in all member states. The accession of a new member requires amending the EU treaty, which must be ratified by all member states, and that takes time. For example, during the 2004 enlargement, this process took about a year and a half.
Mathernova also discussed how the EU is preparing to support Ukraine during the upcoming winter, noting that while it will be challenging, the situation is not expected to be catastrophic.
Read also: EU, member states’ aid to Ukraine stands at nearly EUR 118B – Dombrovskis
