According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the people who so bravely stand up for European values belong in the European family.
Some EU member states would block Ukraine's candidacy for EU membership - according to the American news agency Bloomberg, citing diplomatic sources, in its Monday analysis.
Citing EU diplomats, the news agency stated that several states, including Germany and the Netherlands, would primarily provide practical assistance to Ukraine and work to end the war instead of the membership process, which could take up to a decade. These countries "want to focus on providing practical support to Ukraine and ending the war, rather than embarking on a process that could take at least a decade," Bloomberg said.
However, the news agency did not name which other countries besides Germany and the Netherlands were involved.
However, countries that would support Kyiv's candidate status argue that approval by the EU would be a symbolic gesture for the war-torn country, even if the subsequent process is long and complicated.
At the end of February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the European Union to accept Ukraine as a member in an accelerated procedure.
"The Europeans are aware that our soldiers are fighting for our state and at the same time for the whole of Europe. For the peace of all EU member states, for the lives of children, for equality, for democracy. This gives us every right to turn to the European Union: enable Ukraine's immediate accession in the form of a new, special procedure," the Ukrainian president said in the video message.
Within the EU, nine member states – led by Poland and the three Baltic states – have already indicated that they support Ukraine's request.
The leaders of the member states will discuss the matter at a meeting starting this week in Paris, and according to Bloomberg, a decision is not ruled out, according to which Brussels will strengthen its relations with Kyiv without officially declaring it a candidate for membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week: "there is still a long way to go, and the war must be ended first." He added, however, that the people who so bravely stand up for European values have a place in the European family.
The participants of the conference can ask the European Commission to evaluate the membership application faster than usual, thus making a gesture towards Kiev, Bloomberg noted, adding that such a procedure would otherwise take 15-18 months.
Membership candidacy would encounter difficulties in the middle of the war, because at the time of candidacy, the European Commission delegates a delegation to the country applying for admission, among other things, and subjects it to numerous investigations.
Several conditions must be met for EU membership, including judicial reforms, which can take up to a decade, Bloomberg reminds us, citing Croatia as an example, where this process just took ten years.
In order to start the procedure, the approval of all member countries, as well as the European Parliament and the European Commission, is also required.
MTI
Photo: Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP
