The European Union is considering plans to deny future member states automatic veto rights for several years, a move designed to make enlargement more politically palatable to existing powers. Under these proposals, prospective member states such as Moldova and western Balkan countries would not automatically possess the right to veto foreign policy decisions or other issues requiring unanimity, such as taxation, upon joining the bloc.
This idea is particularly relevant for Montenegro, which is positioned as the frontrunner among nine official EU candidate countries. The former Yugoslav republic, with a population of 624,000, aims to become the EU’s 28th member state by 2028, with negotiations entering their final stages after 14 years.
The Imperial Mandate
EU officials are exploring these safeguards to prevent decisions from being blocked by a single member state, according to four EU sources. This consideration follows a challenging experience with Hungary, whose previous pro-Russian government, led by Viktor Orbán, vetoed several significant EU decisions, including a €90bn loan for Ukraine.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz last week urged EU leaders to adopt “innovative solutions” to accelerate accession for western Balkan countries. In a letter, Merz characterized EU enlargement as a “geopolitical necessity,” also proposing “associate membership for Ukraine” as a “decisive step on Ukraine’s path to full membership.” This associate status would grant Ukraine participation in EU meetings and representation in institutions but without voting rights, a proposal Merz stated would “reflect Ukraine’s particular situation, a country at war” and “facilitate the ongoing peace talks.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected this proposal, stating on social media that “Ukraine’s place in the European Union must also be complete – full and equal.”
EU enlargement efforts had largely stalled until Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which injected new urgency into membership talks with eastern neighbors. The European Commission indicated last year that it could admit new members by 2030, identifying Montenegro and Albania as frontrunners, while praising Moldova’s rapid progress and suggesting EU membership could offer a security guarantee for Ukraine.
Unequal Terms of Entry
A time-limited ban on veto powers could be incorporated into Montenegro’s accession treaty, serving as a template for other countries awaiting entry. This safeguard is considered legally borderline and could only be temporary to avoid creating what officials acknowledge would be “second-class EU members.”
Existing EU member states must unanimously agree on admitting new countries, with particular concern for ratification in France. Presidential elections are scheduled for 2027, and skepticism regarding EU expansion is rising, with a recent Eurobarometer survey showing 48% of French respondents against enlargement, compared to 43% in favor.
EU sources argue for “creative thinking” to facilitate enlargement, especially in the western Balkans, a region of 17.4 million people where Russia and China are actively seeking to expand their influence. One EU diplomat described delaying veto rights as a “constructive solution” within this framework of “thinking creatively” on EU enlargement.
Engjellushe Morina, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, a thinktank, stated that a temporary block on veto powers was “not so drastic” and would be used by politicians to “sell enlargement.” Morina added that the idea aims to “waterproof the union from these hypothetical situations,” such as the election of a pro-Russian government in a new member state like Montenegro.
A source from the Montenegrin government affirmed its goal of full EU membership “with all the rights and responsibilities that come with being an equal member state,” but also stated that Montenegro “does not oppose safeguard mechanisms and believes they can play a constructive role in ensuring the sustainability of reforms even after accession.”
Ukraine’s distinct situation, marked by its size, ongoing conflict, and the estimated $588bn cost of reconstruction as of 21 December 2025—three times the size of its economy—is also noted. EU officials believe Ukraine could technically complete its accession process in four years, but its entry date remains a political question tied to a peace settlement.