The European Commission is due to give a fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine‘s bid to become a candidate for EU membership, a day after four European leaders who visited the country voiced their support for “immediate” candidate status for Kyiv in the face of Russia’s unprovoked invasion, according to RFE/RL.
Never before has an opinion been given so quickly on European Union candidacy, which must be approved by all 27 member states.
German news agency dpa reported, quoting commission sources, that the EU executive body appears set to come out in favor of granting candidate status to both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
The meeting will be chaired by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The opinion will serve as a basis for discussion at next week’s EU summit (June 23-24), where leaders are expected to approve Ukraine’s candidate status, but with stern conditions attached, and membership may take years or even decades.
France, Germany, Italy, and Romania are all in favor of Ukraine receiving “immediate” candidate status, French President Emmanuel Macron said in Kyiv on Thursday.
Macron was speaking at a joint news conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
The visit carried heavy symbolism for the EU’s backing of Zelenskiy, who has called on the European Union to offer his country membership through a shortened procedure, saying it would be a “powerful response” to Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
Zelenskiy submitted Ukraine’s bid for EU membership shortly after the Russian invasion began on February 24, with Republic of Moldova and Georgia following suit immediately afterward.
Even if they are granted candidate status, both Ukraine and Republic of Moldova face a challenging accession process that could take many years. In Ukraine’s case, the focus will be on promoting good governance, the rule of law, and measures to tackle corruption.
Macron on Thursday also promised that France would step up arms deliveries to Ukraine to help its forces fend off the Russian invasion.
It was Scholz’s first trip to Kyiv since the start of the war. He has been under pressure to make the trip to express solidarity with Ukraine.
Draghi expressed concern about grain that Ukraine has been unable to ship because Russia has blockaded Black Sea ports, saying it could bring “worldwide catastrophe.”
“We want the atrocities to stop and we want peace,” Draghi said. „But Ukraine must defend itself, and it will be Ukraine that chooses the peace it wants.”
Both Macron and Scholz also said Ukraine alone should determine the terms of any peace deal with Russia.