On June 23, it was three years since Ukraine was granted candidate status for accession to the European Union — a historic decision made in 2022 during the full-scale war. Since then, Ukraine has fulfilled a significant portion of the European Commission’s recommendations — the so-called “seven steps,” which include reforms of the judicial system, anti-corruption policy, combating money laundering, media legislation, and protection of the rights of national minorities. Work is ongoing, particularly in the area of de-oligarchization, which requires a systemic rather than declarative approach.
However, candidate status is only a stage. It has given Ukraine access to EU support programs, strengthened political dialogue, and enhanced economic integration. But the status itself — or even formal membership — does not automatically guarantee change, emphasizes Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian diversified industrial and investment group Aurum Group:
“The European Union is not a magic wand or a fairy-tale land. It’s a system of rules and opportunities that works for those who are ready to take responsibility and act. No one will implement these changes for us — it is our duty.”
The key challenges remain within the country: corruption, weak judiciary, and ineffective governance. These issues will determine the quality of European integration — not formally, but in essence.
“We shouldn’t expect the EU to come and eliminate our corruption, reform our courts, or build a transparent economy. This is our internal work, and the quality of our lives will depend on its outcome,” Lebedieva stresses.
At the same time, the European Union itself now faces unprecedented challenges: increasing security threats, problems of unity, and difficulties in shaping common policies. Under these conditions, it is vital for Ukraine not to wait for “ready-made solutions” from Brussels, but to clearly define its own interests and take a pragmatic approach to integration.
“We must stop perceiving European integration as attractive packaging. The point is not how quickly we sign another set of documents in Brussels, but whether we are building a country that meets EU standards in substance, not just on paper,” Alona Lebedieva emphasizes.
Full EU membership for Ukraine will be a consequence — not a substitute — of the country’s successful transformation. It is an opportunity that must not be missed. But it requires an understanding of one simple truth: the key to change is not in Brussels, but in Kyiv.