EU’s opinion on whether Ukraine should be given membership of the block or not will be delivered next week
The President of European Commission – Ursula von der Leyen has informed the President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine will learn by the end of next week whether it can start the process to join the European Union (E.U.).
Ursula made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, June 11, 2022, and told Zelenskyy that her discussion with him will help them finalise their assessment.
As per a process, all the 27 Member States must agree to grant membership to Ukraine. This will be followed by extensive talks on the reforms required before Kyiv could be considered for membership. While Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have backed these calls, France and Germany are still doubtful whether it is possible to begin the formal process already.
Taking it to twitter, Ursula tweeted,
The @EU_Commission is preparing ⁰our recommendation for EU Member States.⁰⁰My discussions today with @ZelenskyyUa and @Denys_Shmyhal will enable us to finalise our assessment.⁰⁰The path is known.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 11, 2022
I appreciate the efforts and determination of Ukraine in this process. pic.twitter.com/wBJmOJ2P5x
This was Ursula’s second visit to Ukraine ever since Russia invaded the country. She also visited the soldiers in hospital and praised them for their valor.
She further tweeted,
🇺🇦🇪🇺 I’m deeply humbled by the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 12, 2022
They are defending courageously their country, in very difficult conditions.
But I see life springing back in Kyiv.
As you rebuild and modernise Ukraine, Європа з вами! pic.twitter.com/LJbmsOjFuP
Zelenskyy has been pressing for rapid admission into the E.U. as a way of reducing Ukraine’s geopolitical vulnerability after Russia’s invasion. However, the President of France – Emmanuel Macron had warned that E.U. membership could take years or decades. Joining the E.U. requires meeting strict criteria, from economic stability to rooting out corruption to respecting human rights. While Ursula appreciated Ukraine for strengthening the rule of law, she said there is still a need for reforms to be implemented, to fight corruption.
Speaking to media, Zelenskyy said, “All of Europe is a target for Russia, and Ukraine is just the first stage in this aggression. This is why a positive EU response to the Ukrainian application for membership can be a positive answer to the question of whether the European project has a future at all.”
Prior to this, in March 2022, the E.U. leaders refused Ukraine’s appeal for rapid accession to the bloc. In April 2022, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s membership in the E.U. is integral for its post-war reconstruction.
