EU weighs advancing Ukraine’s membership bid as Russia war drags on

The European Union executive is expected to recommend taking Ukraine one step closer to becoming a member of the bloc this week, according to EU officials, a coveted prize for Kyiv as weariness creeps in nearly two years after Russia’s invasion.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s Brussels-based executive will publish a report on Wednesday assessing progress achieved towards membership by EU hopefuls. On a visit to Kyiv on Saturday, she praised Ukraine for making headway.
The report and recommendation will inform a key decision in December by a summit of the EU’s national leaders on whether to start formal membership negotiations with Kyiv.
Such talks take years before candidates meet extensive legal and economic criteria to join, and the bloc is not willing to take in a country at war.
Still, advancing Western integration is a top priority for Ukraine, where troops face battle fatigue and concerns swirl over the future of vital U.S. military aid.