Washington could link peace in Ukraine to EU membership
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Atlantic Council Africa Center
Illustrative image · Tim Diercks · Pexels · Licence PexelsA lasting peace in Ukraine should, according to the Atlantic Council, include the country joining the European Union. The idea would aim to remove European obstacles to enlargement and give Kyiv a lasting post-war path, while strengthening relations between Washington and its European allies, according to the Atlantic Council Africa Center.
The Atlantic Council Africa Center believes US negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine could include Ukraine joining the European Union. The research centre proposes that Washington, Brussels and Kyiv negotiate a “grand agreement” combining an end to the fighting with a lasting European path for Ukraine.
According to the Atlantic Council Africa Center, the European Union supports Ukrainian membership, but some member states fear its financial cost and increased competition for their farmers. The centre notes that Donald Trump’s administration has already linked Ukraine’s admission to the EU to its previous peace proposals.
The Atlantic Council Africa Center believes that a lack of a European perspective, leaving Ukraine in a zone of neutrality, could encourage further Russian attempts to control the country. It also presents the negotiations as a way for Washington to strengthen its relations with Europe and restore its credibility.
The proposal comes as Washington renews efforts in November 2026 to reopen peace negotiations. It follows the Democratic victory in Congress, announced on 4 November, and Volodymyr Zelensky’s statements on 5 November about the expected effect of the victory on peace prospects.
