Beyond institutional and reform-related arguments, the real obstacle to Ukraine’s EU accession lies in financial concerns, as enlargement would significantly redistribute agricultural subsidies and cohesion funds among current member states.

Leo Litra, Senior Research Fellow at New Europe Center, Visiting Fellow at ECFR, commented for El País.

The article examines how Germany’s rejection of Ukraine’s possible EU accession by 2027 exposes deeper political, security, and financial tensions inside the EU amid ongoing peace negotiations involving the US, Ukraine, and Russia.

Leo Litra further notes that the position voiced by Chancellor Merz reflects not only domestic political calculations but also growing frustration in European capitals over negotiations about Europe’s future taking place without the EU at the table.

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