Foreign Policy Chief: EU Could Expand By 2030

By Staff, Agencies

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that the European Union could admit new members by 2030, praising the reform efforts of frontrunners Montenegro and Albania.

However, officials also criticized Serbia for backsliding and highlighted a concerning democratic decline in Georgia.

The verdicts came as the European Commission published its annual report cards on 10 countries that aspire to join the EU, after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 injected new momentum into a process that had long been moribund.

Kaja Kallas stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and shifting geopolitics make EU enlargement essential for global influence. She called the goal of new members by 2030 "realistic," highlighting Montenegro and Albania as frontrunners in the accession process.

Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia, also said EU membership could be a “major security guarantee” for Ukraine and that no candidate country had ever implemented such sweeping reforms while at war.

Speaking to a Brussels audience from the embattled city of Pokrovsk, Ukraine’s president, Vladimir Zelensky, said he wanted Ukraine to join the EU before 2030.

EU officials praised Moldova for its progress despite Russian interference, with the EU enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos highlighting it as the most improved country in a year amid ongoing hybrid threats.

EU officials criticized Georgia for its halted accession talks, citing a violent crackdown on protesters and a controversial Russian-inspired "foreign agents" law.

The European Parliament reported that over 500 people were detained after protests in Georgia, with 300 subjected to torture or inhumane treatment.

Kos urged Georgia’s leaders to listen to their people, stop imprisoning opposition figures, and then engage in EU talks.

Officials expressed mixed views on Serbia, with criticism of "backsliding on freedom of expression" and calls for clearer pro-EU stance from President Vucic amid ongoing protests and corruption issues

EU enlargement requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, including Hungary, which is blocking Ukraine's accession talks and inadvertently halting Moldova’s progress.

To evade the Budapest veto, officials are studying how to advance on negotiations without getting formal signoff from all 27 countries.

Some politicians urge EU reform before expanding, fearing that a 35+ member union could lead to political paralysis, including abolishing the veto on foreign policy.

Kos stated that no EU reform is needed for Montenegro or Albania's membership, as their small populations would have no major financial or political impact on existing members.

Officials acknowledge that Ukraine's large population and reconstruction needs make its EU membership a complex issue, especially for countries like Poland, which rely on EU funds.