ROME, October 2. /TASS/. Ukraine cannot join the European Union on January 1, 2027, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said in an interview with Corriere della Sera.

She noted that Vladimir Zelensky set that date, but Brussels would not offer any concessions.

"The date of January 1, 2027 was set by President Zelensky. The accession process is merit-based, and it is obvious that this date is unrealistic. I understand that Kiev and many others see EU membership as a security guarantee. The war in Ukraine has changed European geopolitics, and one consequence is that enlargement has once again become a priority not only for Ukraine, but also for other countries," Kos said.

"There are no privileges or concessions in the EU accession process," she stressed, assuring that support for Kiev would continue.

According to the European commissioner, Montenegro is currently closest to meeting the requirements for EU membership. "When a country meets all the criteria, as is likely to happen with Montenegro at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, we will have to decide how to prepare it for EU accession," Kos said. Albania is next on the list, followed by Moldova and Ukraine, she added.