EU Speeds Up Enlargement for Ukraine, but Risks Internal Division
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has sparked a renewed urgency for EU enlargement, with swift membership paths for Ukraine, Moldova, and other frontline states. However, this raises concerns about internal fragmentation and the EU's global standing.
Differentiation, while enabling past achievements like Schengen and Eurozone, also risks hardening exclusions and weakening political cohesion. It allows for flexible integration but could lead to a strongly asymmetrical EU. Under this model, countries could join quickly based on EU values, with policy participation depending on their compliance capacity.
Stefan Telle warns that without investment in centre-formation and shared political identity, the EU could drift into transactionalism, weakening its global voice. He suggests focusing on Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo for this purpose.
Differentiated membership may offer a pragmatic path to EU enlargement, but it carries risks in a multipolar world. To mitigate these, the EU must invest in centre-formation and shared identity to maintain unity and strengthen its global voice.
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