The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has advocated for a more rapid expansion of the bloc. She emphasized the need to actively promote the integration of candidate countries, including Ukraine.
Kallas stated that while the expansion must continue to adhere to necessary criteria, the EU should expedite its actions in the current geopolitical climate. “Expansion is an antidote to Russian imperialism and a sign that the most ambitious multilateral project in history, the European Union, will endure,” she asserted.
The diplomat also stressed that expansion should not merely be viewed as a bureaucratic process of meeting criteria. She described it as the EU’s most successful foreign policy, which extends zones of stability, peace, and prosperity, referencing Eurobarometer data that shows widespread support for the expansion among the 27 member states.
Calls for a quicker expansion come amid ongoing discussions within the EU. The European Commission supports accelerating the process, while some member states advocate for a more cautious approach.
According to a senior EU diplomat, member countries are working to find a compromise to continue the expansion process despite differences between the European Commission and the EU Council. Efforts are underway to ensure that the next three EU Council presidencies prioritize this issue, with the goal of concluding negotiations for Ukraine’s accession by the end of 2027, although the signing of the membership agreement may occur later.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative, has called for a faster expansion process for the bloc, particularly for candidate countries like Ukraine. This push comes amid internal discussions on the pace of integration, with a target set for concluding Ukraine's accession negotiations by 2027.