Ukraine’s EU path is stuck. A new PACT model aims to change that

Leo Litra, Senior Fellow at New Europe Center and Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR, commented for Euromaidan Press on why Ukraine’s EU membership talks remain stuck.

Leo Litra proposed an alternative path, the PACT model (Political Accession with Commitments to Transformation): immediate political membership with limited rights, such as voting in the EU Parliament and having observer status in EU institutions, while delaying voting rights in the most sensitive sectors like agriculture.

PACT would also immediately open Article 42.7, the EU’s mutual defence clause—an appealing option for Kyiv at a time when NATO membership remains off the table.

Leo Litra first proposed to use a new model was first presented on March 23, 2026, during the roundtable “The Speed of Ukraine’s EU Accession: How to Overcome the Main Challenges” (https://cutt.ly/HtOxYLaq) organized by the New Europe Center in cooperation with the National Interests Advocacy Network (ANTS).

The full analysis comparing PACT to other accession approaches is available via the link here.

The article on Euromaidan Press is here.