Although the eastward expansion presented a tremendous opportunity in the 1990s, Europe failed to reshape its constitutional basis — a failure that persists to this day. In 1992, European Commission President Jacques Delors warned that the Union must be strengthened as a condition for enlargement, but his warnings fell on deaf ears. Enlargement slowed down after the Maastricht Treaty and negatively influenced the integration of the European Union and its institutions.
Today, Europe stands at a crossroads. There are differing views on enlargement, and it seems to me that the threat and fear of Russia, although this has some merit, are being used to increase EU cohesion and to support enlargement. Perhaps it is time for more realism and consideration of the long-term consequences and costs. For me, European enlargement and Ukrainian EU membership raises serious concerns, and our support cannot be unlimited or indefinite, especially for a Ukraine outside NATO in our changed world. Europe does not need more member states with corruption and judicial independence issues.

At this point, the EU does not need expansion; rather, it needs consolidation and integration, as well as greater strategic independence, which are essential to protecting the achievements made by the EU over the last 50 years. Assisting Europe in finding greater strategic clarity would be an act of self-defence.