Enlargement Commissioner Welcomes Ukraine’s Desire To Join The EU by 2027.

Kyiv; January 2026: European Union’s Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call for Ukraine to be admitted to the EU by 2027, stating that she could not speak in terms of years, saying that “it is not only his wish; it is also my wish and the wish of many, many member states. But we will see when it will be possible”, she added.

Emphasising the appropriateness of 2027 as a target date, she said: “I cannot speak in terms of years; because as I said that there is a certain level of fundamental principles that must be met. But, of course, we must also take into account very important historical moments. So, we will discuss with the member states how to overcome the time needed for the accession process, and, of course, how to respond to this situation”,

When asked about the growing tensions between Hungary and Ukraine and Budapest’s determination to veto Ukraine’s accession, she said: “We will work until the end to achieve the unanimity needed for this process. This is the only way to proceed, cooperating also with Hungary, and that is what we are doing”.

Today, January 29th the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha took part online in a meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, and had briefed the EU Council on the situation at the front, emphasising the need to reach 50,000 Russian losses per month. He called for full strategic autonomy for Europe and funding for the PURL program.

“We have entered a new year, which could be a turning point for the future of Europe. In conditions of geopolitical turbulence, it is important to keep Ukraine in focus”, the minister emphasised. Sybiha have expressed gratitude to European partners for their unity, consistency, and leadership in their daily support of Ukraine. According to the Foreign Minister, this demonstrates three things: Europe stands for its values. Europe is determined. Europe has strength.

The Foreign Minister while emphasising that despite loud statements, Russia has not achieved any breakthrough on the battlefield, and the losses of the occupiers continue to grow. Ukraine’s goal is to reach 50,000 Russian losses per month. According to the head of the foreign policy department, when Russians lose more than they can recruit, it will force Putin and his regime to reconsider their plans.

He further asserted that Ukraine seeks to achieve parity in weaponry and capabilities on the front line.

The Foreign Minister has vouched that supporting Ukraine is an investment in the common security of the European continent. “We are buying you time, that is the bitter truth. It is better to stop Russia in Ukraine now”, the minister noted that Europe must achieve full strategic autonomy in matters of armaments and security. This is a matter of Europe’s survival, in which Ukraine is a key element on this path.

The Ukrainian foreign minister urged the importance of the PURL program for strengthening Ukrainian air defence and protecting critical infrastructure, especially for missile defence against ballistic threats and the supply of interceptor missiles. For this, it is important to ensure funding for this program at approximately $15 billion per year.

“PURL is the only tool that allows us to buy critically important weapons from Americans. It is also important that the European SAFE initiative starts yielding results as soon as possible this year”, the minister said. In the context of peace efforts and recent negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Andriy Sybiha noted that Ukraine views them as a continuation of interaction with the United States and peace efforts that gained new momentum last autumn.

The Foreign Minister announced that Ukraine, together with the United States, is currently preparing for the next round in a trilateral format in the near future. “As I have already said, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to meet with Putin to discuss the most sensitive issues. In particular, regarding the territories and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The Kremlin’s public reaction to this thesis once again showed that Putin does not want to stop the aggression”, Andriy Sybiha reiterated that in the current geopolitical reality, only the United States and Donald Trump are capable of forcing Moscow to end the war.

The Foreign Minister called on partners not to remove the issue of frozen Russian assets from the agenda. This is a powerful lever for peace that cannot be abandoned, while highlighting key traits for Europe to put pressure on Russia: blocking the “shadow fleet” and adopting a strong 20th package of sanctions, including restrictions against the Russian defense industry and oil and gas sector. The minister also called for sanctions against “Lukoil” and “Rosneft,” following the American example.

The Foreign Minister congratulated the European Union on its final decision to abandon Russian gas by 2027, and thanked it for its recent decision to allocate the first ten million euros for the Special Tribunal. “Russia must pay. Sooner or later. It must feel this pressure now. The very risk of losing assets forced Putin to change his behaviour last year”. he said.

Separately, Sybiha noted the urgent energy assistance from the EU and contributions to Ukraine’s resilience within the framework of the so-called “Energy Ramstein”. The minister also expressed sincere gratitude to the societies of European countries for their genuine solidarity. “I am confident that our bitter experience at the level of each family and our state as a whole will also contribute to the stability of Europe. Of course, it would be better if no one had to go through such an experience. But we must be prepared. This is the war of the future”.

In the context of the European integration path, the Foreign Minister asserted that this year should be decisive. Ukraine’s membership in the EU will bring peace closer, strengthen the EU, give Ukraine another security guarantee, and create conditions for economic growth in Europe. This is a key element of Europe’s new security architecture. “The fate and peace of Europe are being decided in Ukraine today. And at a very high price”, the minister added in conclusion.

Team Maverick.