(MENAFN) The European Union is exploring the possibility of broadening its membership by admitting new countries, but with a “probation” phase in place to ensure that applicants adhere to Brussels' principles and obligations, according to the bloc's enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos.

Kos shared these insights in an interview with a media outlet published on Tuesday, revealing that her proposal for a 'probation' period stems from a concern about “Russians coming in the back door.”

The EU also released its annual assessment of aspiring and candidate nations on Tuesday.

While Montenegro received praise, Georgia, which paused negotiations with Brussels following Western-backed protests, was given an 'F' rating.

Kos suggested that the union might implement a “transition period, a kind of probation, safeguards” for new members, which could include the possibility of expelling them if necessary.

She emphasized that these concepts are still in their preliminary stages.

“I don’t want to go down as the commissioner bringing in the Trojan horses who will be then active in five, 10 or 15 years,” Kos stated, dismissing worries that the plan could create a “two-tier” membership structure within the EU.

The proposed strategy would likely impose stricter conditions for candidate countries, including Ukraine and Moldova, which Kos acknowledged have been grouped together in what she described as an “artificial” pairing.

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