The European People’s Party (EPP) and the Tisza Party have been actively preparing for Ukraine’s potential EU membership in 2030 for months. This was revealed by Gabriella Gerzsenyi, MEP of the Tisza Party, in a recent statement. She detailed how her party has been working closely with the EPP and other allies on the issue of Ukraine’s European integration.
As highlighted by Magyar Nemzet in an earlier piece, according to Gerzsenyi, informal coordination within the EPP began as early as December 2024. Every two weeks, MEPs involved in budgetary matters meet to discuss proposals for the next seven-year financial period, which will be presented by the European Commission. These informal discussions are meant to shape the EPP’s position on key policy issues.
The Target Date for Ukraine
One recent meeting focused on two main topics: EU enlargement and the Common Agricultural Policy.
Regarding enlargement, participants discussed multiple scenarios, including the possibility that Ukraine, Moldova, or one of the Western Balkan countries could join the EU by 2030.
Gerzsenyi emphasized the importance of preparing for these possible accessions in the upcoming EU budget, as new member states would immediately become eligible for EU funding.
She highlighted that
the meeting focused on two main topics: enlargement and the Common Agricultural Policy. We discussed different scenarios, such as what happens if one of the candidate countries—Ukraine, Moldova, or a Western Balkan nation—joins the EU as early as 2030,
The Tisza Party’s active role in this process aligns with its earlier initiatives. The party has previously committed itself to supporting Ukraine’s European integration, and there is significant support for Ukraine's EU accession among its followers.
In a vote organized by the party, nearly 60 percent of Tisza Party supporters agreed that Ukraine belongs in the European Union.
However, Gerzsenyi’s statement also raises questions about the transparency of the enlargement process and the representation of Hungarian interests.
The MEP heavily focused on the EPP's interest while failing to mention Hungarian national interests.
This could be cause for concern, suggesting that Hungarian interests might be sidelined during the enlargement process.
The meeting also touched on pre-accession funding, suggesting the EU is already investing significant resources to prepare potential new member states. This preparatory work may be key to implementing Brussels' and the EPP’s plans.
It is important that we are prepared for their possible accession in this budget package. It is also very important that as soon as a country becomes an EU member state, it will be eligible for EU subsidies, and it is also worth knowing that there are so-called pre-accession funds,
she said.
Still, Ukraine’s accession could present major challenges to the EU. Ukraine's membership could have a significant impact on the EU's agricultural sector, given the country's vast arable land and agricultural potential. Additionally, Ukraine’s geopolitical situation and te ongoing war may further complicate the accession process.
The regularity of these informal meetings—held every two weeks—demonstrates that the EPP and its allies, including the Tisza Party, are taking Ukraine’s potential EU membership very seriously.
Their approach indicates that 2030 is viewed as a realistic target date for Ukraine’s accession.
Brussels Aims to Fast-Track Ukraine’s EU Accession
The European Commission’s Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Marta Kos, recently made a statement about EU enlargement, declaring that the Commission is committed to accelerating Ukraine’s accession. Her remarks, delivered in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, highlight that the EU leadership sees Ukraine's membership as a top priority in light of the current geopolitical situation.
In her optimistic address, Commissioner Kos stated:
We must and we will succeed in this next phase of unification of Europe. We have a realistic chance to bring one or more candidate countries to the finish line during this mandate.
This statement aligns with a previous declaration by Ursula von der Leyen—who has been condemned by a court—suggesting that Ukraine could become an EU member as early as 2029.
The Commission is focusing not only on accession negotiations but also on accelerating integration across other areas simultaneously. According to Kos:
Complementing the accession negotiations, the Commission is stepping up it efforts in accelerated integration into the single market, now already with defense and security, then connectivity, energy and more at the same time, together with the EU member states.
