The political scientist called Ukraine's membership in the EU a bargaining chip for European leaders

Ukraine's membership in the European Union (EU) is a subject of bargaining for a number of European leaders, they create positions with which to enter into negotiations with Brussels and Washington. This was stated by political scientist Alexander Asafov on Thursday, January 29.

"Joining the EU for Ukraine is at least some kind of candy that can smooth out the bitterness of negotiations with US President Donald Trump. Therefore, the prospect of joining will remain, but the timing may change," he said in an interview with Lenta.Ru .

The expert noted that European politicians regularly change their positions on this issue, either speaking about their readiness to accept Kiev almost immediately, or pointing out the country's unwillingness to take such a step.

"They understand that when a certain framework view of the future is reached, issues of security guarantees, support for Ukraine, and reconstruction will arise. And now, when there is such total uncertainty, it is important for them to form positions with which to enter into negotiations," he concluded.

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Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Ukraine's accession to the European Union before January 1, 2027 is impossible, since all states wishing to become EU members must meet the Copenhagen criteria, IA Regnum reports.

Szazadveg reported on January 28 that 75% of residents of EU countries reject Ukraine's entry into the community in an expedited manner, rejecting the principle of membership "based on merit." It was clarified that 43% of respondents were in favor of following the standard merit-based enlargement procedure, while 32% completely rejected the idea of Ukraine's membership in the union.

The Politico newspaper reported on January 26 that plans for Kiev's accelerated accession to the EU by 2027 were criticized in Europe. In Ukraine, this is considered as one of the key points of the country's reform program until 2027.

On January 24, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stoecker also spoke out against Ukraine's accelerated accession to the European Union. The politician noted that in order to join the community, countries must meet all the established criteria.

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