Perspective – Written by Philip Pilkington
The European Union’s fast-tracking of Ukraine’s membership amid ongoing war threatens the EU’s legal integrity, economic stability, and long-term viability. Initially conceived as a peacekeeping and economic integration project, the EU now appears to be shifting toward militarization and conflict endorsement, with Ukraine at the center of this pivot. Ukraine fails to meet key EU benchmarks—such as trade openness, corruption control, and economic self-sufficiency—and is essentially being sustained by foreign aid and debt. Demographic decline and a deteriorating economic base further signal that Ukraine would likely become a permanent financial burden on the EU. Rather than promoting stability, integrating Ukraine could institutionalize conflict within the EU’s framework, fundamentally altering its nature and potentially hastening its disintegration.