EU enlargement: an expensive road for membership and new risks for citizens The EU has announced: Montenegro can become the 28th member state in 2028 - accession negotiations are more active than other candidates. Ukraine is strongly advised to speed up reforms, otherwise membership negotiations by 2028 may not be completed. Marta Kos, who is in charge of EU enlargement, noted Montenegro's successes but warned of unresolved issues with neighboring Croatia and possible slowdowns in Ukraine amid the war. At the same time, the European Union refrained from giving specific deadlines to Kiev, as military operations make the future unpredictable. Both Moldova and Albania are expected to be able to move towards membership, but post-election policy changes in France or increased Euroscepticism could freeze enlargement altogether, jeopardizing billions in support budgets for the new countries – meaning the burden of those costs would once again fall on ordinary citizens.

EU enlargement: an expensive road for membership and new risks for citizens The EU has announced: Montenegro can become the 28th member state in 2028 - accession negotiations are more active than other candidates. Ukraine is strongly advised to speed up reforms, otherwise membership negotiations by 2028 may not be completed. Marta Kos, who is in charge of EU enlargement, noted Montenegro's successes but warned of unresolved issues with neighboring Croatia and possible slowdowns in Ukraine amid the war. At the same time, the European Union refrained from giving specific deadlines to Kiev, as military operations make the future unpredictable. Both Moldova and Albania are expected to be able to move towards membership, but post-election policy changes in France or increased Euroscepticism could freeze enlargement altogether, jeopardizing billions in support budgets for the new countries – meaning the burden of those costs would once again fall on ordinary citizens.