Russia-attacked Ukraine desperately wants the prospect of EU membership. A first hurdle on the way has now been cleared. However, there are many more waiting.
The Ukraine and its neighboring country Moldova have cleared a first important hurdle on the way to the aspired EU membership.
The EU Commission spoke out in favor of officially appointing the two states as candidates for accession to the European Union. According to the authority’s recommendation, however, accession negotiations should not begin until the reform requirements have been implemented.
In both countries, the Commission still sees significant deficits – especially in the judiciary, in the economic structure and in the fight against corruption. The recording process could therefore drag on for years, if not decades. This applies above all to Ukraine, which since February 24 has needed a large part of its forces for military defense against invading troops from Russia.
It is also conceivable that one or more EU states are already blocking the granting of candidate status. The decision to do so must be unanimous.
Scholz is confident about the EU decision on Ukraine
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has shown himself confident that the EU member states will find a common position on Ukraine’s application for membership, Scholz said in a TV interview conducted in English by the German Press Agency: “We have to accept that this was a unanimous vote by There are 27 Member States and we will have to find a common approach, but I am quite optimistic that we can do it.” As a result of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the EU acted as one, “and we will continue to do so,” said the SPD politician.
The recommendation of the EU Commission is the basis for a possible decision by the member states on the issue. According to the authority’s recommendation, accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova should not begin until reform requirements have been implemented.
Scholz made it clear that the hurdles for EU accession are high and referred, among other things, to the principles of democracy and the rule of law as well as the necessary anti-corruption laws – and that applies to all countries that are striving to join the EU.
“Ukraine deserves a European perspective”
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen campaigned in forceful words to support her recommendation. “Ukraine deserves a European perspective,” she said, referring, among other things, to a “very robust presidential-parliamentary democracy” and a very good public administration.
With a view to the Russian war of aggression against the country with its approximately 40 million citizens, she said: “The Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective.” We want to make it possible for them to live the European dream together.
Regarding Moldova, which has a population of only around 2.6 million, von der Leyen said that Ukraine’s small neighbor had recently taken a decisive step towards reforms with a clear mandate from its citizens.
Putin on EU prospects for Ukraine: “We have nothing against it”
According to statements made by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, Russia has no fundamental objections to Ukraine joining the EU. ‘We don’t mind. It is the sovereign decision of each country to join or not join economic alliances,” Putin said on Friday at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.
“Unlike NATO, the EU is not a military organization, not a political bloc.” Whether Ukraine’s membership of the EU is in the interest of the EU, she should know for herself, he said. “But the economic structure of Ukraine is such that it will need very large substitutions.”
What about the rest of the candidates?
The former German Minister for Georgia did not have such good news. According to the recommendation of your commission, the country in south-eastern Europe with around 3.7 million inhabitants should only be given candidate status if it meets certain conditions. Like Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, it would initially only be a potential candidate for accession.
With its recommendations, the authority laid the basis for a possible decision by the EU member states. The heads of state and government already want to discuss the issue at a summit meeting at the end of next week. However, it is unclear whether a decision can be made at this point, since the views of the governments on the subject have so far differed widely.
Skepticism from Portugal
Portugal, in particular, did not consider it appropriate to grant candidate status to states such as Ukraine until recently. There is a great risk of creating false expectations, which could then lead to bitter disappointment, Prime Minister António Costa recently told the Financial Times. More practical support from Ukraine is needed.
Another argument put forward by skeptics is that the EU, with its principle of unanimity in matters such as foreign and security policy, is already considered cumbersome. They first call for internal reforms before opening the door to new members.
«No applicants for membership first and second class»
“We need to ensure that the same standards are applied as for other Western Balkans applicant countries. Against this background, it would be inconceivable for me to grant Ukraine candidate status and at the same time keep countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina on the sidelines,” Nehammer told Welt. “There must be no double standards or even first and second class applicants,” he said.
The Western Balkan state of Bosnia-Herzegovina had already submitted an application for membership at the beginning of 2016 and has only been considered a “potential candidate for membership” for years. Nehammer emphasized that it was undisputed that Ukraine was “part of the European family”.
“First step towards EU membership”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Russia will follow developments with increased attention because it knows about the “strengthening of the defense component of the European Union”. “Various transformations are taking place, which we are of course monitoring very closely,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the other hand, was pleased with the EU Commission’s recommendation for his country’s EU candidate status. “This is the first step towards EU membership,” he wrote on Twitter. It would also bring Ukraine’s victory closer to the war with Russia that has been going on since late February.
Positive news for Zelenskyj also came from the Netherlands. The government there decided to abandon its concerns about Ukraine’s candidate status for the EU and to agree to the Commission’s proposal. “This sends the signal: we will not let Ukraine sit,” said Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra in The Hague. The Commission’s proposal is balanced and takes into account the specific situation of Ukraine.
Source: Stern
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