New countries could join the European Union without full voting rights, in a move aimed at easing opposition from leaders such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to Ukraine’s membership. The proposal, still at an early stage and requiring approval from all member states, would grant full rights only after the EU reforms its decision-making system to curb national vetoes.
The plan, backed by enlargement advocates like Austria and Sweden, seeks to revive a stalled process blocked by Budapest and others worried about competition and security risks. Enlargement has become a strategic priority amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expansionism, but efforts to expand the bloc from 27 to about 30 members have exposed deep internal divisions.
Anton Hofreiter, chair of the German Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee, said future members should waive veto rights until reforms such as qualified majority voting are implemented. This would let candidates like Ukraine, Moldova, and Montenegro enjoy most EU benefits while avoiding immediate treaty changes. Attempts to abolish veto power for current members have met resistance from Hungary, France, and the Netherlands.
The initiative is seen as a way to admit new members without paralyzing the EU’s institutions. Hofreiter said it would keep the bloc “capable of acting even in an enlarged EU,” adding that Western Balkan states view the approach as viable. Critics warn that waiting for internal reforms before admitting new members risks blocking enlargement altogether.
Eastern European and Western Balkan candidates have grown frustrated after years of reforms without progress. Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatović noted that no country has joined since Croatia more than a decade ago, while Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Taras Kachka urged “creative” solutions to overcome Hungary’s veto. “Waiting is not an option,” Kachka said, warning that Russia’s aggression also tests EU unity.
Although Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made enlargement central to her agenda, EU countries remain cautious. A recent push by European Council President António Costa to accelerate expansion was rejected. Leaders from the Western Balkans will meet EU counterparts in London this week for a “Berlin Process” summit on closer regional integration.
Ahead of the Commission’s upcoming “enlargement package,” officials suggested Brussels could speed talks by bypassing unanimous approval at each stage, limiting Orbán’s leverage. The package is also expected to include proposals for internal reforms to ready the EU for new members.
An early draft of conclusions for Thursday’s EU summit notably omits enlargement, angering pro-expansion governments. “If the EU does not step up its game, we will lose ground to third actors,” said Austria’s Europe Minister Claudia Plakolm.
EU membership remains a key geopolitical tool against Russia. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said, “Ukrainians have been fighting every day to keep Russia out of Europe.” Yet leaders wary of far-right pressure at home are in no rush. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently said he does not expect Ukraine to join before 2034.
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