The EU could deny future member states the right to veto for a period of several years, in an attempt to make the expansion more politically acceptable.

The European Union is considering significant changes to the status of new members, including the suspension of the right to veto in the European Council for the first years after accession. This measure, intended to address the skepticism of some member states, could affect countries like Moldova and those in the Western Balkans, including Montenegro, which could join in 2028.

The experience with Hungary, which has blocked important decisions, has led EU officials to seek solutions to prevent decision-making from being blocked by a single state. The Chancellor of Germany has proposed an associate membership status for Ukraine, which would allow participation in EU meetings without voting rights, but President Zelensky has rejected this idea. EU enlargement is considered a geopolitical necessity, but it is complicated by skepticism from existing states, especially in France. The costs of rebuilding Ukraine and the current geopolitical context influence the accession process, and EU officials believe that Ukraine could complete the process in four years, but the entry date remains tied to a peace agreement.