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EU sets date for Ukraine candidacy decision — Analysis

Brussels is looking forward to receiving Kiev’s answers to the union membership questionnaire, the EU Commission head says

Ursula von der Leyen is the head of European Commission and Ukraine’s leader. toldThe European Parliament, Strasbourg added Monday that “next page”Ukrainians will write the history of the bloc.

The EU Commission chief said Brussels is looking forward to receiving Ukraine’s answers to the membership questionnaire. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zilensky stated earlier that Kiev submitted the EU’s 5,000-page document.

Von der Leyen tweets that the commission will present its position on the subject in June.

However, Emmanuel Macron from France, the French president, was present at the European Parliament session and warned Kiev not to expect a rapid accession. “Even if we gave them [Ukraine] candidate status tomorrow… we all know perfectly well that the process of allowing them to join would take several years… several decades,”He stated.

No EU fast-track for Ukraine – Austria

Earlier in May, a similar idea was expressed by Austria’s EU affairs minister, Karoline Edtstadler, who said Ukraine’s accession to the EU was unlikely to happen “in the next five to ten years.”

According to the French leader, he opposed the notion of the bloc’s lowering its size “stringent”Standards to enable some countries to join the EU sooner. Instead, he proposed a different format, which would include those who want to join the EU as well as those countries that are already members.

“It is our historic obligation… to create what I would describe before you today as a European political community,”Macron added that Macron had said this, and also mentioned the new “organization”This would be possible “democratic European nations”Cooperation in all areas of security, infrastructure, transportation, energy and transport. The French president argued that the EU cannot remain Europe’s only organizing body, “given its level of integration and ambition.”He didn’t elaborate on what format the new organization would take, though.

Macron and von der Leyen also supported the alteration of EU treaties. “We need to reform our texts – it’s obvious,”The French president stated. Von der Leyen said that “unanimity voting”It should be the end of it “if we want to move faster,”Since it “no longer makes sense”Certain areas.

However, EU members criticized the idea and said it was not the right moment. “institutional discussions,”Known as any possible treaty change “unconsidered and premature.”Denmark, Sweden and Poland were the main opponents to the initiative.

The questionnaire’s first section was submitted by Ukraine in April. In assessing membership bids, the European Commission evaluates everything from the country’s economic performance to the legal system, along with environmental regulations and agricultural practices. This process can take decades – Turkey has, for example, been a candidate since 1999.

The unanimous agreement of EU member countries is required for full membership.



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