Before 2022, Ukraine had no realistic vision of its potential EU membership - former advisor to Ukraine's deputy PM

RIGA - Before 2022, Ukraine had no realistic vision of its potential membership of the European Union (EU), Ivan Nagornyak, former adviser to Ukraine's deputy prime minister on European integration, told a conference on EU enlargement on Friday.

He pointed out that before 2022, Ukraine's focus was largely on neighborhood policy and all that was involved in implementing the so-called "wider Europe concept". According to Nagornyak, at that time Ukraine was seen as part of the neighborhood policy. He pointed out that Ukraine's European integration efforts were also seen more through the lens of bilateral cooperation or the EU-Ukraine Association Council Joint Statement.

Nagornyak noted that 2022, the full-scale invasion and the beginning of the tragedy became a major turning point. At that moment, Ukraine gained real weight, both geo-politically and economically.

"If in 2021 I had talked to European experts and told them that the European Peace Facility would be one of the key instruments in financing Ukraine's resilience to a Russian invasion, nobody would have believed it," said the former advisor to Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European integration at the conference.

He stressed that the situation is very different today: EU instruments that were previously only "on paper" have been used effectively. In Nagornyak's view, the EU has shown real flexibility in using these instruments in 2022.

The former advisor also added that the situation regarding the EU's enlargement policy is currently changing, with European Council decision-making becoming increasingly complex. Nagornyak pointed out that a review of the EU's enlargement policy is expected. In his view, the situation with those EU Member States that are opposed in the decision-making process needs to be addressed.

On security, the former advisor noted that the EU is changing its position on security and defense. According to him, Ukraine welcomes the European Commission's White Paper and all the instruments aimed at strengthening the Common Security and Defense Policy, where Ukraine intends to play an important role, taking into account its experience, as well as instruments such as SAFE, which foresees the creation of a common European defense industry.

Touching on the issue of economic resilience, Nagornyak mentioned the EU's Ukraine Support Facility, a EUR 50 billion program to support the Ukrainian economy. He explained that this is an important instrument for Ukraine's economic resilience. In addition, the support has enabled the development of a reform roadmap, which includes significant changes in the economy and the rule of law.

"The moment the European Commission (EC) publishes the concrete criteria that will be used in the accession negotiations, we will be able to synchronize the Ukrainian government's agenda with the EC's priorities. Meeting the criteria will show the real strength of soft power in Ukraine," he added.