In recent months, several ideas have emerged across Europe on how to accelerate or rethink Ukraine’s path to the European Union: fast-track membership, reverse accession, Friedrich Merz’s concept of associate membership, and other models.
Each of these approaches has its weaknesses. Some raise concerns among EU member states, while others are viewed with skepticism in Ukraine because they are perceived as substitutes for full membership rather than a pathway to it.
The New Europe Center has proposed its own vision: the PACT model (Political Accession with Commitments to Transformation).
Its logic is straightforward:
- Ukraine receives political and security membership from day one;
- security guarantees are provided through Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union;
- access to the single market, EU funds, and specific rights is granted gradually, in line with reform progress;
- full EU membership remains the guaranteed ultimate goal;
- implementation of key commitments from the “Fundamentals” cluster prior to accession.
PACT is not an alternative to Ukraine’s EU membership. It is a way to make accession politically realistic, meaningful from a security standpoint, and fair both to Ukraine and to EU member states.
The model reconciles two goals that are often presented as contradictory: a rapid political accession process and gradual transformation through reforms. Accordingly, if Ukraine experiences backsliding on reforms, its rights within the EU framework could be reduced or suspended.
The New Europe Center has also prepared a set of arguments addressing a question increasingly heard in European capitals: What would the EU gain from Ukraine’s accession?
Among the key benefits are stronger security, advanced defence technologies, experience from modern warfare, greater food and energy resilience, access to critical raw materials, a more mobilised society, and ultimately a more united and geopolitically influential Europe.
The PACT concept was first presented on March 23, 2026, at a New Europe Center roundtable in Kyiv, where it was initially introduced under the name “membership by design”. Subsequently, Leo Litra, Senior Fellow at the New Europe Center, further developed the concept and presented it to a broader European audience through European Council on Foreign Relations under the name PACT.
The New Europe Center has prepared a series of infographics explaining how the model works, how it differs from other accession approaches, and why Ukraine’s membership serves not only Ukraine’s interests but also those of the European Union as a whole.
The infographics also incorporate feedback received since the first presentation of the concept, including questions about whether amendments to the EU treaties would be required (the answer is no), the importance of implementing reforms under the “Fundamentals” cluster before accession (the answer is yes — key reforms must be completed prior to membership), and other related issues.
This document was prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The material reflects the position of the authors and does not necessarily coincide with the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.
