The EU's New Eastward Enlargement:An Analysis of Drivers and Prospects
The European Union's decision to initiate a new wave of enlargement and kickstart the accession process of Ukraine and two other countries marks a significant strategic move following the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis in 2022.This decision is primarily driven by three considerations:responding to geopolitical upheavals and competing with Russia for regional dominance;strengthening the EU's competence and promoting European strategic autonomy through expansion;and aiming for institutional restructuring of Ukraine and other potential new members in the long term.While the EU has started accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and granted Georgia candidate status,the three countries are still far from becoming full EU members.The new round of EU enlargement faces numerous challenges including a high threshold for accession,the rise of far-right and populist forces in some member countries,and internal disagreements within the EU.This will make the enlargement process lengthy and complex.
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