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Should Ukraine receive expedited membership into the European Union?

Most Members of the European Parliament appear to agree. While they might not fully align on the method or specific timeline, the majority believe that Ukraine’s EU membership would convey a powerful signal of support to the Ukrainian people and a clear stance against the Kremlin.

To commemorate four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this week on The Ring, we have two Lithuanian Members of the European Parliament: Aurelijus Veryga from the ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists) group and Petras Auštrevičius from the liberal Renew Europe group.

Despite coming from different political backgrounds, one being conservative and the other liberal, both agree that Ukraine should be part of the European Union. This edition raises a major question: Is expansion a test of unity, an indicator of Europe’s strategic strength, or both?

When questioned about establishing a definitive accession date, Veryga contends that the goal should be bold and strive for 2030: “If we set it to 2027, technically, it won’t be completed before 2030, but it encourages us to accelerate our efforts.”

Regarding Petras Auštrevičius, “we have made numerous positive commitments to Ukraine. We stated that Ukraine is part of Europe. Now we need to follow through. Let’s begin taking action, as soon as possible.”

This episode of The Ring is hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, directed by Luis Albertos and Amaia Echevarria, and cut by Vassilis Glynos.

Watch The Ring in the player above and share your thoughts by emailing thering@