The €136bn price tag on Ukraine's path to joining the EU

Ukraine and European Union flags hang together outside an extraordinary plenary session on Ukraine at the European Parliament in Brussels, on 1 March 2022. © AP - Virginia Mayo

Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership face a daunting economic reality. New research puts the cost of the country joining the bloc as high as €136 billion – even before post-war reconstruction begins.

As the full-scale conflict with Russia enters its third year, the cost of rebuilding is projected to rise into hundreds of billions of euros.