On 23 and 24 February 2026, Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, went to Kyiv, in Ukraine, to mark the 4th anniversary of Ukraine invasion. She participatd to several meetings and panel discussions. At a special conference of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), she stated that Ukraine's accession process was not at a standstill. She stressed that the EU needed to be innovative because current enlargement methods were designed for times of peace. She insisted that Ukraine's integration was not an act of charity, but a ‘strategic necessity’ for a stronger and more independent Europe. The Commissioner stressed the crucial importance of the rule of law, the fight against corruption and an independent judiciary as the foundations of freedom and conditions for long-term economic recovery.