European Commission Sets EU Accession Road Maps for Four Countries, Urges Ukraine to Accelerate Reforms

The European Commission released accession road maps for Ukraine and three other candidate countries on November 4, urging Kyiv to accelerate reforms to complete accession negotiations by the end of 2028. According to Sina Finance, citing Xinhua, the Commission’s annual enlargement package sets milestones for the coming year for Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, while emphasizing that progress depends on reform results. The Commission called on Ukraine to prioritize the rule of law and public administration reforms, and said the country’s anti-corruption institutions remain broadly independent and effective. The end-2028 target is for Ukraine to complete negotiations, not to join the European Union by then. Montenegro is closest to completing negotiations, having closed 21 chapters. If member states agree, it could close the remaining chapters by the end of this year; work on its accession treaty has also begun. Albania aims to complete negotiations in 2027, while Moldova’s target is early 2028. The Commission said both targets depend on continued reforms. The Council of the European Union will next review the Commission’s recommendations and decide on further action.