The European Union recognizes the exceptionally rapid progress of Ukraine toward European integration, describing this process as the “unprecedented speed” in the modern history of EU expansion
This assessment was voiced by European Commission Spokesperson Guillaume Migner during a briefing in Brussels on April 22, in response to a question from "European Truth" journalists. According to the EC representative, Ukraine’s path to membership in the most influential political and economic community in Europe is characterized by a pace approaching unprecedented levels even for the scale of the European Union. "The screening process of Ukrainian legislation, meaning the comprehensive review of the compliance of your legal acts with EU norms and standards, is happening at a uniquely fast rate," Migner emphasized. He noted that this stage is one of the most important in the negotiation process and is nearing completion as part of the preparations for opening full negotiation clusters for Ukraine. Unlike previous expansion phases, which took years, the current pace is inspiring and demonstrates a high level of cooperation between Ukrainian and European experts. The Head of the European Commission also mentioned active dialogue and close interaction with the Ukrainian side to ensure the fastest and most effective progression through this stage. The entire process of reviewing and analyzing Ukrainian legislation is planned to be completed by autumn this year. This will enable moving on to the next fundamental step — opening the first clusters as part of the negotiation process. The EC spokesperson confirmed that Ukraine already meets all the conditions for opening the first cluster — the so-called "Fundamentals" cluster; however, the final decision depends on the approval of all 27 EU member states. Currently, the issue of opening the cluster remains blocked due to political obstacles, particularly from Hungary, which demands consideration of special conditions related to the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. Migner added that these issues are currently being discussed within the EU Council, with consultations ongoing with all interested parties. "We actively support Ukraine in all areas: technical, political, and financial," the European Commission representative stated. He assured that the European side is consistently working to ensure the process of Ukraine’s progress toward the EU is as swift and effective as possible, while emphasizing that the final decision on opening the cluster depends solely on the political will of the member states. Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Ukraine is currently demonstrating the fastest breakthrough not only among countries seeking EU membership but in the entire history of the bloc's expansion. He highlighted that Ukraine’s rapid advancement in this process is supported by all, except those deliberately delaying it for political reasons. Thanks to this momentum, in February 2025, Hungary — one of the most significant obstacles to Ukraine’s integration — officially blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster and declared that it would not lift the blockade until "consultations" with the population regarding Ukraine’s European future are conducted. However, these consultations, accompanied by manipulative and distorted information provided by the Hungarian government, are expected to conclude by the end of June, with all related disagreements being used as a political pretext, complicating an already tense procedure. Thus, Ukraine’s progress toward the EU continues to be increasingly confirmed by rapid internal standard implementation and diplomatic efforts, but remains influenced by political factors that could complicate the final stages. The country’s authorities aim to achieve the fastest possible progress in creating conditions for opening negotiation clusters and gaining full membership, which is eagerly anticipated by both Ukraine and the European partners.