Denmark is working to make Ukraine EU-ready by 2030

The Danish EU presidency is working to prepare Ukraine for EU membership in 2030, even though Hungary continues to block it.

This is stated by European Minister Marie Bjerre (V) during the EU Parliament’s session in Strasbourg.

Denmark will specifically help Ukraine continue to meet all 35 chapters in the negotiations.

This is happening, even though Hungary still says no to opening the first of the total six negotiation areas into which the 35 chapters are divided.

“Ideally, we would formally open the chapters. But it has proven to be very difficult because Hungary is blocking.

Therefore, we must continue to make reforms, and when we are finally ready to open the chapters, they can be quickly closed again. Thus, the negotiations with Ukraine are not stalled,” says Marie Bjerre.

It requires unanimity among all 27 EU countries to open the individual chapters in the negotiations.

Therefore, Hungary effectively has a veto right, while the other 26 EU countries support a formal initiation of the negotiations.

By overlooking the formalities and resolutely continuing the work to be ready, Ukraine can, however, find itself in a position where the country meets the EU’s regulations before the negotiations are even opened.

This way, the chapters can be opened and closed almost on the same day if Hungary changes its position at some point.

“It remains our ambition to proceed along the formal track. But if that does not succeed, we must try other measures,” says Marie Bjerre.

Thus, Denmark is accelerating Ukraine’s accession, even though it would, in that case, become one of the most populous and poorest members of the EU.

“We owe it to Ukraine. It boosts morale that they can see that the EU wants them on board,” says Marie Bjerre.

At a meeting of the EU countries’ European ministers last week, according to Marie Bjerre, the first tentative steps were taken towards finding transitional arrangements so that a Ukrainian EU membership would not drain the EU’s coffers for agricultural and regional support.

However, the country must meet the EU’s requirements before EU membership becomes a reality, emphasizes the Danish European Minister.

“If Ukraine continues the pace of reforms they have right now, it is not unrealistic that they could become an EU member in 2030. But it is not the case that we set a deadline. Ukraine will become a member when they are ready,” says Marie Bjerre.

Denmark will also try to give Ukraine some of the benefits that EU membership provides, even before the country is formally incorporated into the fold.

Under the Danish EU presidency, Ukraine has, for example, joined the EU’s roaming agreement. This means that Ukrainians can use their mobile phones as cheaply as EU citizens.

Denmark also wishes to give Ukrainians access to the Erasmus+ program for education, youth, and sports, says Marie Bjerre.

A survey from Eurobarometer showed last week that 64 percent of Hungary’s voters are against admitting Ukraine into the EU.

Perhaps concerning for Ukraine, the survey also showed that there is a majority of voters in Italy and the Czech Republic who say no to Ukraine in the EU.

In Germany, the population is divided into two precisely equal groups. There are 47 percent in favor of membership for Ukraine, while 47 percent of German voters are against it, according to the survey.

In France, 48 percent are in favor of membership for Ukraine, while 44 percent are against.