Government wants to make ‘swift progress’ on Ukraine’s EU bid

Ireland intends to "make swift progress" in advancing Ukraine's stalled bid for European Union membership during its presidency of the Council of the EU in the latter half of this year. A draft policy platform indicates that Irish ministers and diplomats will work to lay the groundwork for the EU's expansion, which would be the first since 2013.

The Irish government plans to be "ambitious" regarding the enlargement of the 27-state bloc. A key priority will be drafting a treaty to approve Montenegro's accession, a process that began in 2008 and could see the country join the EU by 2028. The draft document also states Ireland will "prioritise the completion of accession negotiations with Montenegro" and advance talks with Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania.

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We will aim to make swift progress in negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova as well as Albania.

Ireland will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from July 1st to December 31st. This influential role involves brokering compromises among member states. The finalized EU policy program is expected in early June, with the draft emphasizing that the Irish presidency is "ambitious for the EU’s enlargement agenda, a key tool in ensuring Europe’s security."

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The Irish presidency is ambitious for the EU’s enlargement agenda, a key tool in ensuring Europe’s security.

The momentum for EU enlargement has been significantly boosted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has highlighted the strategic importance of integrating neighboring countries and preventing them from falling under Moscow's influence. Previously, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had blocked the opening of several accession negotiation "chapters" with Ukraine for nearly two years.

However, recent discussions suggest that Hungary's new pro-EU government may drop its objections. The European Commission is expected to propose opening the first negotiating "chapters" next month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for a fast-tracked application process, aiming to condense a decade-long procedure into one or two years. Ukraine formally applied for membership in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion.

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We aim to prepare the ground for the first accession of new member states since 2013.