Albania's Prime Minister maintains that Ukraine will never join the EU through the current procedure

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama warned that Ukraine will not become a member of the European Union if it follows the usual accession procedure, in an interview with Die Welt. He argued that promises regarding Ukraine’s rapid integration are unrealistic and called for a fundamental reform of the EU’s enlargement policy.

Rama proposed that Ukraine and the other candidate countries be immediately involved in the Union’s consultative bodies and working mechanisms, with membership status to be granted later, after clear reform objectives have been met. The Albanian prime minister also called for the abolition of the member states’ veto power, which he says allows decision-making deadlocks and bilateral disputes.

The statements come as Brussels rejects Kyiv’s goal of joining by January 1, 2027. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos reiterated that the process is based on each country’s merits and fulfillment of the criteria, not on political deadlines.