Ukraine's Fast-Track EU Membership by 2027: US Peace Plan Details and Russia's Response

Ukraine is set to become a European Union member as early as January 2027 according to a US-proposed peace plan aimed at ending the conflict with Russia, a senior source with knowledge of the matter revealed to AFP on Friday.

The EU accession process typically extends over many years and demands unanimous approval from all 27 member states, with Hungary notably expressing consistent opposition to Ukraine's membership bid.

This accelerated membership timeline features in the latest iteration of a US-led peace proposal, which also contemplates Ukraine surrendering territory to Russia, sparking intense diplomatic activities across European capitals in recent weeks.

"It's included in the plan but remains subject to negotiation, with American support behind it," stated the senior official speaking anonymously.

Concurrently, European nations and Ukraine are requesting that the United States provide "security guarantees" before Ukraine considers any territorial concessions, according to the French presidency.

The Elysee Palace emphasized, "We require complete clarity regarding security assurances that Europeans and Americans can extend to Ukrainians prior to any resolution on disputed territorial matters," ahead of Monday's meeting in Berlin involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and heads of the EU and NATO.

Zelensky expressed confidence on Thursday that Washington possesses the necessary influence to persuade leaders opposing Ukraine's EU membership to reconsider their positions.

"The United States can take measures to clear obstacles from our European Union path," he remarked to journalists including AFP, adding that "the US president has various influence mechanisms that will impact those currently blocking Ukraine."

Kyiv has long aspired to EU membership and has implemented reforms since the pro-European revolution of 2014, though continues to struggle with eliminating systemic corruption—a fundamental requirement for joining the bloc.

Following an extensive European diplomatic tour last week, Zelensky will attend further discussions about the peace plan in Berlin on Monday, though comprehensive details remain undisclosed.

In Berlin, Zelensky will address "the status of peace negotiations in Ukraine" with "numerous European heads of state and government, as well as the leaders of the EU and NATO," according to German authorities.

Moscow expressed skepticism on Friday regarding efforts to modify the US plan, which it has largely supported as it addresses most of its core demands.

"We sense that the version being presented for discussion will be degraded," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told the Kommersant business daily.

"It will be a protracted process," he added, noting that Moscow had not viewed an updated version since discussions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow last week.

Zelensky revealed Thursday that Washington wants only Ukraine, not Russia, to withdraw forces from parts of eastern Donetsk region, where a demilitarized "free economic zone" would serve as a buffer between opposing armies.

On Friday evening, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron clarified: "The Ukrainians have not agreed to any territorial concessions, are not contemplating any territorial deals currently, and are not considering a DMZ (demilitarized zone)."

Russia, enjoying numerical superiority in personnel and weaponry, has steadily advanced on the battlefield for months, achieving its fastest progress in a year during November.

However, Ukraine claimed on Friday to have recaptured two settlements near Kupiansk—a strategically significant city and crucial railway junction in the country's northeast.

Zelensky visited troops near Kupiansk to congratulate them and recorded a video of himself on a road at the southwestern entrance to the city.

A Russian air strike damaged a Turkish-owned cargo vessel in Ukraine's Black Sea region of Odesa, according to Kyiv and the operator on Friday, prompting renewed calls from Ankara to cease attacks on port infrastructure.

Turkey had earlier warned of a "concerning escalation" in the Black Sea following Ukraine's claimed naval drone attacks on Russia-linked tankers in the area, calling for an immediate "suspension" of such operations.