---
title: "French Minister: Ukraine's EU Accession Is a Question of Reforms, Not Geopolitical Will"
description: "France's Minister-Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Adda, stated that Ukraine's EU accession depends on concrete reforms in the areas of justice and the fight against corruption. Paris is sending experts to Ukrainian institutions and promises long-term accompaniment."
date: 2026-09-23T05:56:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/france-ukraine-eu-accession-reforms-adda
tags: [france, ukraine, eu-integration, judicial-reform, rule-of-law, benjamin-addad]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# French Minister: Ukraine's EU Accession Is a Question of Reforms, Not Geopolitical Will

![French minister against the backdrop of EU and partner flags comments on Ukraine's conditions for EU accession](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/frantsiya-ukraina-ees-reformy-addad/frantsiya-ukraina-ees-reformy-addad-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- France considers the judicial reform and the fight against corruption as key conditions for advancing Ukraine's path toward the EU
- French expert missions in Ukraine already include specialists supporting the judicial reform
- Paris links Ukraine's EU membership with the geopolitical stability of the continent, but emphasizes the "demanding" nature of the process
- Ukraine is simultaneously carrying out tax reforms for individual entrepreneurs and a slight salary increase is expected in 2027

France's Minister-Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Adda, outlined in a fresh interview the key conditions under which Paris considers the prospect of Ukraine's membership in the European Union. In his words, it is critically important for Kyiv not merely to declare its aspiration toward Eurointegration but to consistently implement reforms in three areas: the fight against corruption, ensuring the independence of the judiciary, and entrenching the rule of law. Adda emphasized that it is precisely these institutional transformations that form the foundation of what Ukrainian citizens see in the prospect of EU membership — a system of checks and balances and transparency in public administration.

### French Experts Inside Ukrainian Institutions

Separately, the French politician reported that experts from France are already working in Ukrainian state institutions, providing practical support for carrying out the judicial reform. "We will continue to do so," Adda stated, emphasizing that Paris's technical and expert assistance is not a one-off gesture but a form of long-term accompaniment. Thus, France positions itself not only as a political ally but also as an institution directly involved in the transformation of Ukraine's justice system.

### Geopolitical Calculus: "Peace on the Continent"

Adda directly linked Ukraine's accession to the "European family" with the interests of Europe itself and its geopolitical stability. "It will bring peace to our continent," he formulated, adding that the process is based on concrete achievements rather than political promises. In his assessment, the path to the EU is "demanding," as it is built on reforms, and Paris intends to "monitor this process and provide Ukraine with comprehensive support along this path." The wording indicates that France is ready to support Kyiv, but on the condition of measurable progress in institutional change.

### Domestic Context: Tax Changes and Salaries

Against the backdrop of statements on Eurointegration reforms, Ukraine is also discussing domestic economic transformations. Among the recent changes is a reform of the tax system, in particular a review of the taxation procedure for individual entrepreneurs (IEs). According to RBC-Ukraine, Kyiv managed to set the income threshold for IEs subject to taxation such that a significant portion of small entrepreneurs will not fall into a risk zone. In addition, Ukrainians can expect a slight increase in salaries in 2027, which is also seen as an element of adapting the economy to the standards required for the Eurointegration track.

### What This Means for the Process

Adda's statement fixes France's position as one of the key "drivers" of the Eurointegration process: Paris does not question the fact of Ukraine's future membership, but emphasizes that the pace and depth of reforms will determine the speed of progress. For Kyiv, this means that pressure to accelerate the judicial and anti-corruption reforms will grow, while for Brussels it means that France is ready to act as a "quality guarantor" of institutional transformations, rather than merely a political sponsor.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Macron's team explains why reforms matter for Ukraine and what to expect from EU accession](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/makrona-rozpovili-chomu-ukrayini-vazhlivi-1790142721.html) - Первичный источник: интервью Бенджамена Аддада. Все цитаты и тезисы в статье соответствуют тексту источника.
- [Exclusive: France wants to limit Ukraine's purchases of non-European weapons at the EU's expense](https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/25/france-wants-to-limit-ukraines-purchase-of-non-european-weapons-at-the-eus-expense-ru) - Источник касается иной темы (военные закупки) и не используется в тексте статьи.
- [Euronews: France wants to limit Ukraine's purchases of non-European weapons at the EU's expense](https://news.am/ru/news/1057735) - Дублирует источник 2, тема не совпадает с основной статьёй.
- [France wants to limit Ukraine's military purchases outside the EU](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2026/08/25/29178901.shtml) - Дублирует источник 2, тема не совпадает с основной статьёй.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who is Benjamin Adda and what position does he hold?
**A:** Benjamin Adda is France's Minister-Delegate for European Affairs. It is in this capacity that he gave the interview in which he commented on Ukraine's Eurointegration process.

### Q: Which reforms does France consider a priority for Ukraine?
**A:** According to Adda, the key areas are three: the fight against corruption, ensuring the independence of the judiciary, and entrenching the rule of law. Reforms within the broader Eurointegration process are also mentioned.

### Q: Are French experts working in Ukraine?
**A:** Yes. Adda confirmed that French experts are working in Ukrainian institutions, providing support, in particular, for carrying out the judicial reform, and stated the intention to continue this work.

### Q: Does France link Ukraine's EU accession with security issues?
**A:** Yes. Adda directly stated that Ukraine's accession to the European family serves the interests of Europe and its geopolitical stability, and that it "will bring peace to the continent."