Europe is racing against time and aims for a quick accession of Ukraine to avoid an imposed peace |Page

The draft peace plan negotiated with Washington calls for Kiev to join the union in 2027, but with unprecedented exceptions, an Orb veto and a revolution in domestic rules.Meanwhile, twenty-seven people discussed the use of frozen Russian assets: voting to ban transfers to the Russian Central Bank

Difficulties and problems

Europe is running against time and hastening Ukraine's accession to avoid forced peace

Draft peace plans with Washington in 2027, but infinite special conditions, needed to win the Orbon vote and internal laws.

The European Union (EU) is being asked to do the unthinkable in just one week to ensure Ukraine does not capitulate under the deal imposed by Donald Trump in collaboration with Vladimir Putin.Several European sources have confirmed to Il Foglio that Ukraine's entry into the EU is expected by 2027 in the draft peace plan agreed by Vladimir Zelensky with US presidential envoys. According to the Financial Times, which first reported this, the plan has the support of Brussels.In fact, member state diplomats and EU officials are very cautious.Ukraine's accession within a year is not considered realistic, despite the outstanding progress Kiev has made since becoming a candidate state in June 2022. Hungary's Viktor Orbán veto blocked the opening of a negotiating forum with Ukraine.“Expansion is a merit-based process,” says one ambassador.But in June 2024, the 27 member states produced a document saying that “enlargement and accession are part of the EU's security obligations,” explains a senior official.“The issue of membership is part of the security package,” the diplomat confirms.“This year has been particularly ambitious for even the most prepared countries.”There are procedures and deadlines that must be followed." But "if there is political will, this can be done at any time," explains the diplomat. Ukraine's entry into the EU in such a short period of time means violating the principle of "merit-based" enlargement (i.e. building on the achieved reforms), a creative approach to this process and changing or violating many internal rules.

According to the Financial Times, Donald Trump will be asked to do his part and persuade his European allies Orban (or new Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis) not to stand in the way.The accession process involves more than 30 negotiation chapters with hundreds of reforms.The EU must also do its homework, including reviewing voting rules, composition of the European Parliament and allocation of funds in the Common Agricultural Policy, before venturing into a large country like Ukraine.A meeting with Friedrich Merz and other European leaders is scheduled to take place in Berlin.The German chancellor said he would also like to invite the United States.Today and tomorrow, national security advisers from European countries will continue to draft this plan.Another taboo that the EU must break is the use of Russian sovereign assets frozen by sanctions.It is responsible for 185 billion euros of Russian assets out of the EU's total 210 billion euros.Today the Central Bank of Russia filed a lawsuit against Euroclear in the Moscow Arbitration Court.The approved regulations also allow for asset blocking by Orban's veto on extending sanctions.Italy, which hesitated, eventually voted in favor.Now the hardest part begins.Belgium has not yet agreed to finance the compensation loan with Russian state assets proposed by the Commission.Heads of state and government will decide in the European Council on December 18 whether to allocate this $210 billion to finance Ukraine over the next two years.Italy is one of the countries taking the most cautious measures.Belgium has arrived, which could amount to 25 billion euros.To save Ukraine, the unthinkable must be done not only in Brussels but also in every European capital.