EU Warns Ukraine Over Corruption, Accession Progress Lags

By Staff, Agencies

Ukraine’s efforts to join the European Union are falling behind those of other candidate countries due to insufficient progress in tackling corruption, according to the European Commission’s latest enlargement assessment.

In its annual enlargement package published on Wednesday, Brussels called on Kiev to demonstrate “significant progress in tackling and preventing corruption,” noting that Ukraine was lagging behind Montenegro and Moldova in meeting EU membership requirements.

The Commission rated Ukraine’s preparedness in the areas of judicial reform, combating corruption and protecting fundamental rights between “some” and “moderate.”

It reported only limited progress in judicial reforms and expressed concern over what it described as the “slowing down of legislative decision-making” in the Ukrainian parliament, where Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has struggled to secure a reliable voting majority.

The Commission’s accession roadmap also offered limited prospects for rapid progress, projecting that Ukraine could provisionally close only seven of the 33 main negotiating chapters in 2027. None of those chapters directly addresses the corruption issue that has affected the country for decades.

Despite the critical assessment, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos defended Ukraine’s progress, saying that “there is no other country that is advancing towards EU membership under such difficult circumstances.”

Kos also praised Moldova, describing it as the “best performer in my class.” According to the Commission’s assessment, Chisinau could provisionally close as many as 25 of the 33 negotiating chapters in 2027.

However, she acknowledged that Moldova still faces significant challenges in establishing a record of investigations, prosecutions and final court rulings in corruption cases.

Brussels has not provided either country with a firm date for EU accession. Several European leaders have also ruled out Ukraine joining the bloc before a settlement with Russia, while Moldova continues to face the unresolved Transnistria conflict, involving a breakaway region where Russian peacekeepers remain stationed.

Corruption remains a longstanding challenge for Ukraine, with concerns reportedly intensifying since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022.

A study by CASE Ukraine estimated that undeclared wages and informal employment deprived the state of more than $5 billion in tax revenue in 2025, while smuggling, grey imports and customs violations accounted for another $2.4 billion in losses.

The country has also faced several high-profile corruption investigations, including an alleged kickback scheme involving state nuclear energy company Energoatom and Timur Mindich, a former close associate of Zelensky.

Ukrainian investigators announced on Wednesday that they had completed a probe into the alleged network, which they said had moved more than $111 million and €12 million in illicit funds through money-laundering operations.