Twin track: How to move Ukraine’s EU accession along
The lifting of the Hungarian veto opens up new opportunities for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s EU accession
Experts & Staff
Leo Litra
Senior Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
Eastern Europe, Ukraine, EU integration, conflicts in Eastern Europe
Languages
English, Romanian, Ukrainian, French, and Russian
Biography
Leo Litra is a senior policy fellow with the European Security Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a senior fellow at New Europe Center in Kyiv, Ukraine and a Marshall memorial fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Previously, Litra served as a research fellow at the Institute of World Policy in Ukraine. He is the author of numerous publications on the democratisation of the post‐Soviet space, European integration, and frozen conflicts. He also regularly contributes to Freedom House’s “Nations in Transit” report and the Bertelsmann Transformation Index. His main research interest is the accession process to the European Union.
Litra was a Carnegie research fellow at Yale University in 2009 and holds an MA in international relations and European studies from the European Institute of High International Studies in Nice, France.
Political accession first: A new pact for Ukraine to join the EU
European leaders should adopt a new approach—the PACT model—for Ukraine’s future accession to the EU. This model will help them facilitate the peace process while also giving confidence to their electorates
Putin’s longest war: Calling time on Russia’s endurance myth
Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has now lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany, with incomparably smaller gains. The West should stop buying into Moscow’s bluff that Russia is invincible; instead, it should use the Kremlin’s weaknesses and double down on its support for Ukraine to bring about real negotiations to end the war
Peace with teeth: What Britain and France’s troop commitment means for Ukraine
Britain and France have committed to deploying their armies on the ground in Ukraine. This is one step towards providing the robust security guarantees the country needs to deter future Russian aggression
Fragile frontline: The consequences of declining military aid to Ukraine
Russia’s renewed offensive in Ukraine’s east makes urgent international support essential. Europe must now mobilise financial assistance to secure Ukrainian sovereignty—and its own security
The diplomatic minefield: What now for Ukraine?
Leo Litra and Lesia Ogryzko are joined by Eric Ciaramella and Jana Kobzova to discuss the development and its implications
The EU: Enlargement gets a reality check
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Tiago Antunes, Leo Litra and Engjellushe Morina to unpack the EU’s 2025 enlargement report card and discuss why good grades don’t guarantee membership
From success to strategy: Three lessons from Moldova’s election
The success of Maia Sandu’s pro-EU party in Moldova’s parliamentary election holds three valuable lessons for protecting votes from Russian meddling in the future—whether that is in Moldova or in other vulnerable democracies
Lessons for Europe: Inside Ukraine’s drone war
Lesia Ogryzko and Leo Litra welcome Lyuba Shipovich and Gustav Gressel to unpack how warfare in Ukraine is changing and if Europe can respond
Love thy neighbour: Moldova’s election is a stress test for European resilience
Moldova’s parliamentary election will steer the country towards either the EU or Russia. Whatever the outcome, it is a chance for Europeans to understand Putin’s disinformation playbook and protect other vulnerable states from his influence
Publications
Sustain and prosper: How Europeans can support Ukraine
The EU and its member states need to make an urgent commitment to Ukraine’s security and long-term commitment to its European future. If they do not, they risk alienating the very Ukrainians they seek to support
Articles
Twin track: How to move Ukraine’s EU accession along
The lifting of the Hungarian veto opens up new opportunities for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s EU accession
Political accession first: A new pact for Ukraine to join the EU
European leaders should adopt a new approach—the PACT model—for Ukraine’s future accession to the EU. This model will help them facilitate the peace process while also giving confidence to their electorates
Putin’s longest war: Calling time on Russia’s endurance myth
Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has now lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany, with incomparably smaller gains. The West should stop buying into Moscow’s bluff that Russia is invincible; instead, it should use the Kremlin’s weaknesses and double down on its support for Ukraine to bring about real negotiations to end the war
Peace with teeth: What Britain and France’s troop commitment means for Ukraine
Britain and France have committed to deploying their armies on the ground in Ukraine. This is one step towards providing the robust security guarantees the country needs to deter future Russian aggression
Fragile frontline: The consequences of declining military aid to Ukraine
Russia’s renewed offensive in Ukraine’s east makes urgent international support essential. Europe must now mobilise financial assistance to secure Ukrainian sovereignty—and its own security
From success to strategy: Three lessons from Moldova’s election
The success of Maia Sandu’s pro-EU party in Moldova’s parliamentary election holds three valuable lessons for protecting votes from Russian meddling in the future—whether that is in Moldova or in other vulnerable democracies
Love thy neighbour: Moldova’s election is a stress test for European resilience
Moldova’s parliamentary election will steer the country towards either the EU or Russia. Whatever the outcome, it is a chance for Europeans to understand Putin’s disinformation playbook and protect other vulnerable states from his influence
Small change, big difference: How the NATO summit can still support Ukraine
NATO members should designate their support for Ukraine as a contribution towards achieving 5% of domestic spending on defence
From willing to able: A European reassurance force for Ukraine
European boots on the ground in Ukraine seem more likely than ever before—but discussions on the practicalities of such a “reassurance force” are only just starting
The US election, Ukraine, and the meaning of peace
The US election has fuelled calls to negotiate a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. But the new administration will not be able to escape the fact that Western security guarantees are a precondition for any sustainable settlement
Podcasts
The diplomatic minefield: What now for Ukraine?
Leo Litra and Lesia Ogryzko are joined by Eric Ciaramella and Jana Kobzova to discuss the development and its implications
The EU: Enlargement gets a reality check
Jessica Hendrick welcomes Tiago Antunes, Leo Litra and Engjellushe Morina to unpack the EU’s 2025 enlargement report card and discuss why good grades don’t guarantee membership
Lessons for Europe: Inside Ukraine’s drone war
Lesia Ogryzko and Leo Litra welcome Lyuba Shipovich and Gustav Gressel to unpack how warfare in Ukraine is changing and if Europe can respond
The European pillar of security
Leo Litra and Lesia Ogryzko are joined by Élie Tenenbaum and Oleksandr Sushko to discuss June’s NATO summit—and what Europe’s security step up means for Ukraine
Ukrainian society in wartime
Leo Litra and Lesia Ogryzko welcome Fredrik Wesslau and Volodymyr Yermolenko to unpack how, over three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian society continues to persist in the face of aggression
Events
European Security
US military aid on pause: what’s next for Ukraine?
With the contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, and the US announcing it would pause military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv faces mounting pressure. Neither Ukraine nor its European partners want the fighting to continue indefinitely – they want the ability to shape the terms of an eventual settlement. To do so, Ukraine…
Wider Europe
Don’t wait for Washington: What the EU can do for Ukraine and its own security
After taking office, Donald Trump did not stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Yet, there are high expectations that his administration will at least attempt a ceasefire in the coming months. Both Ukraine and the EU countries have been waiting to see the US strategy for the settlement and calibrate their next…
Wider Europe
Ukraine has a plan. Does the EU have one?
Nearly three years into the full-scale war, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability to counter Moscow’s relentless attacks. Now, President Zelensky has unveiled Ukraine’s victory plan, outlining a vision to end the war. While Ukraine has charted its course, what kind of vision does the EU have? What should the strategy of Ukraine’s…
European Power
Geopolitics of Enlargement: Ukraine Strategy
This webinar will discuss current revisions of the EU approach to enlargement policy and the security implications for Ukraine and the neighborhoods
In the media
Leo Litra on the new commander-in-chief of Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi
Leo Litra on how the EU should negotiate with Russia
Leo Litra on Europe´s leverage in negotiations with Russia
Leo Litra on the unblocking of the loan to Kyiv and its implications for Ukraine’s long-term strategy
Leo Litra on the debate within the EU about whether to use the frozen Russian assets