Ukraine can become EU member in 2029 -  Lithuanian politician Kubilius

He said this on Espreso TV. 

“Ukraine's integration into the European Union brings not only economic benefits to both sides, but also brings quite big geopolitical changes to the entire European part of the continent. The start of negotiations will mean that new tools will appear: how to measure Ukraine's progress, how to help Ukraine, and where to make efforts for reforms. And if you look at our experience, the experience of Central Europe, it took Lithuania three years to complete the negotiations, and four years for Poland,” the Lithuanian politician said.

Andrius Kubilius explained that the start of negotiations could give a timeline for when Ukraine could become a member of the European Union.

“According to our calculations and what is written in various documents of the European Parliament, if negotiations begin this year, it is quite possible that negotiations and ratification of all documents will be completed by the end of this decade. That is, Ukraine could become a member of the EU, I would say, in 2029, and in this case, Ukrainian voters would have time to take part in the 2029 elections to the European Parliament. This would also be an answer to the leaders of EU countries who are still skeptical or very cautious about Ukraine's prospects of becoming an EU member. In my opinion, it would be a very big mistake for the European Union if it failed to concentrate its political will and allowed the entire integration process to drag on for several decades,” Kubilius said.