The Ukrainian Institute for International Politics presents the policy paper “Enlargement Through Integration: Aligning Pre-Accession and EU Instruments”, authored by UIIP Director Nadija Afanasieva and Development Director Rostyslav Tomenchuk.

The paper examines the economic dimension of EU enlargement in the context of shaping the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034. It focuses on the risk of structural gaps becoming entrenched if pre-accession assistance and core EU financial instruments for Member States remain disconnected.

The paper analyses the interaction between IPA instruments, directly managed programmes, and funding mechanisms available to Member States, highlighting structural differences between reform-centred support for candidates and investment-driven models within the EU. Particular attention is given to the regional dimension of integration, the 20% regional allocation under the Ukraine Facility, and opportunities for integrating Ukraine into EU value chains prior to membership.

This policy paper is part of the project ‘Central Europe and Future EU Enlargement’. The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund.