The European Commission’s latest enlargement report commended Ukraine and Montenegro while expressing concerns regarding Serbia and Georgia on Tuesday.
This report serves as an annual assessment for countries aspiring to join the European Union.
Currently, ten nations are seeking to join the bloc, including Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Turkey.
“Expanding the Union is in our best interest,” stated the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, during a press briefing in Brussels.
“The process of joining the European Union remains fair, rigorous, and merit-based. However, welcoming new countries into the EU by 2030 is now a realistic objective,” she added.
Despite the ongoing challenges posed by Russia’s invasion and Hungary’s continued obstruction of Ukraine’s membership negotiations, the Commission acknowledged Kyiv’s dedication to the accession process.
While supporting Ukraine’s ambitious goal of joining by the end of 2028—having submitted its EU membership application in 2022—the report emphasized the necessity for accelerated reforms and a stronger stance against corruption.
The report highlighted “recent negative trends, including pressure on specialized anti-corruption agencies and civil society,” indicating that these actions must be reversed.
Earlier protests against the crackdown on anti-corruption units prompted a swift retreat from Kyiv, drawing the attention of Ukraine’s European allies.
“Ongoing progress is also essential in strengthening the independence, integrity, professionalism, and efficiency of the judiciary, prosecution, and law enforcement sectors, as well as in combating organized crime,” the report stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his appeal on Tuesday for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to cease vetoing Ukraine’s EU bid.
“We are at war for our survival, and we would greatly appreciate it if the prime minister of Hungary could support us, or at least refrain from blocking us,” Zelenskyy remarked at an event hosted by broadcaster Euronews in Brussels.
In contrast, Georgia was described as an accession country “in name only,” with significant concerns raised regarding the state of democracy in the nation.
Although there is considerable public support for EU membership, the current government has aligned more closely with Moscow and has suppressed dissent.
“In Georgia, the situation has sharply deteriorated, with serious democratic backsliding,” commented EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has halted EU accession talks, alleging that Brussels is orchestrating a revolution in Georgia—a claim that the EU has firmly rejected.
Additionally, last week, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament, a senior member of the ruling party, announced that the country’s three largest opposition parties would be banned for allegedly threatening “the constitutional order.”
“The findings of the report are unfortunately devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations,” said Pawel Herczynski, the EU ambassador to Georgia, during a press conference in Tbilisi.
“Georgia is not on track to become an EU member state, neither by 2030 nor at any later date.”
Among the countries pursuing EU membership, Montenegro, a Balkan nation with a population of approximately 600,000, is considered the most advanced, according to Kos.
Montenegro aims to conclude its accession talks by the end of 2026, having initiated discussions in 2012.
“We look forward to becoming the next member of the EU,” stated Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister Filip Ivanovic at a Euronews conference.
Regarding Albania’s aspirations, which seeks to finalize discussions by the end of 2027, Kos noted, “Both countries have made the most progress on reforms in the past year.”
“At the current pace and quality of reforms, we may be able to conclude accession negotiations in the coming years,” she added.
However, actual accession still requires approval and ratification by all EU member states.
“The commission will insist on the highest quality of reforms, particularly regarding the rule of law, democratic institutions, and fundamental freedoms. There will be no shortcuts,” Kos concluded.
