What Kyiv can expect from the new EU Commissioner for Enlargement

The European Parliament held hearings for Marta Kos, the candidate for the position of Commissioner for Enlargement, last week.

This is arguably the second or third most important EU position for Ukraine after the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and possibly the head of European diplomacy (expected to be filled by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas).

Nearly half of the three-hour hearing was dedicated in some way to Ukraine – not only in answers to questions but also in broader discussions.

Read more about the signals Marta Kos sent to Ukraine and other EU candidate countries in the article by Oleksandr Kostriba, an external expert on European integration at EasyBusiness – A shared future with Ukraine and sanctions for reform reversals: the EU enlargement commissioner's plans.

Marta Kos believes that Ukraine is the main contender for EU membership.

"During many visits to the Members of the Parliament, I was asked which country I would like to see or what my vision would be which country would be the first in the EU tomorrow? And I said, Ukraine," she shared.

She also highlighted that Kyiv has shown progress in aligning with the EU, even during the war.

"We are aware that there is a martial law, but even if the country is in war, it is progressing well in the negotiation process, and I think that sometimes the very hard situations bring even a higher
level of motivation for the people to do what's best for them and for the whole country, so Ukraine will get my support completely," Kos noted.

Once the new European Commission is formed, Marta Kos promises to work closely with Ukraine, supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts in coordination with G7 countries. Additionally, she emphasises that supporting Ukraine and countering Russian aggression is her absolute priority.

However, heroism alone won't grant EU membership.

Kos underlined that candidate countries must fulfil their obligations.

"The rule of law is the basis of what we do, in the Member States and in the candidate country. I will always stick to the rule of law, and when it's about the negotiation process or IPA or any other instruments, we have conditionality and we mean it," Kos said.

A merit-based approach was one of the most frequently mentioned phrases throughout the parliamentary hearing.

Kos specifically stressed that she would not tolerate "compromising quality over speed."

"I will not hesitate to propose corrective measures in case of serious or prolonged stagnation or backsliding, as our process is also based on reversibility," she added.

Other candidate countries were also discussed. For representatives from Bulgaria and Greece, the Western Balkan countries were important, while for Romania, it was Moldova.

Moldova was often mentioned in the context of its "duet" with Ukraine, grouped with it in many of the above-mentioned issues.

Meanwhile, the Western Balkan countries were mostly discussed in terms of bilateral issues between them and certain EU member states, and with references to specific policies or issues (such as the historical dispute regarding North Macedonia or refugee centers in Albania).

Special attention was given to Serbia and the Republika Srpska in Bosnia, where some politicians openly express pro-Russian sentiments. Here, a significant number of parliamentarians even called for freezing funds and halting EU programmes until these countries return to the European path. Kos, however, responded diplomatically and flexibly – without making promises but stressing that the EU would not tolerate backsliding. This approach was also observed toward Georgia.

The general impression of Marta Kos is that she is an unbiased yet cooperative commissioner. Naturally, we would prefer someone in this role who has long supported Ukraine, frequently visits Ukraine, and is well-acquainted with its context.

However, having an "outside" politician in this position could prove effective in advancing common European solutions and ensuring that Ukraine meets its obligations.