(Brussels) Ukraine’s “full consensus” on granting EU candidate status emerged during talks between 27 EU affairs ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, French Minister Clement Boone said two days before the decisive summit.
Posted at 6:13 p.m.
Updated at 12:15 p.m.
The European Commission on Friday issued a positive opinion on granting EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, paving the way for membership after a lengthy process.
Tuesday’s discussion between ministers in Luxembourg: […] With regard to Ukraine in particular, it is possible that the status of the candidate will be determined as soon as possible, “said Mr. Beyonc, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council.
He spoke in support of the US Alliance, but said that maintaining some independence was important for Brussels.
“We have worked to reaffirm European unity, and we are experiencing an important, positive, and perhaps historic moment this weekend,” Clement Beyonc continued.
“The admission process does not mean instant admission,” the minister’s spokesman for Europe recalled.
“Certainly because this process is demanding and lengthy, we need to consider it as an alternative, not as an additional measure. In this spirit, the President of the Republic has inspired the European political community in recent weeks,” he said. .
“European flame”
“Even though the entry process has begun, we must continue to have a vision, a European flame,” he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron presented the idea of a “European political community” to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on May 9, welcoming countries seeking to join the EU awaiting unification, but Ukraine welcomed the initiative with suspicion.
The candidate status recommended by the Commission of Ukraine and the Moldova is subject to conditions on the instrument of reform associated with the fight against corruption and the independence of the judiciary.
According to the commission, Georgia, which wants to join the EU, will still have to make reforms before gaining candidate status. Tens of thousands of protesters marched on Tbilisi on Monday for EU membership.
The French minister also stressed the “very clear consensus” of 27 on the “need to recall the European perspective of the Western Balkans”, whose “stability is sometimes affected by the Ukrainian conflict”.
The 27 leaders will meet with those in the Western Balkans on Thursday morning before the European Council. The four countries in the region are the official candidates – North Macedonia (since 2005), Montenegro (since 2010), Serbia (since 2012), Albania (since 2014) – and two other potential candidates – Bosnia and Kosovo.
Entrance talks with Serbia and Montenegro have already begun, but not for others. As the country chairing the EU Council, France is working with the Commission to remove Bulgaria’s impediment to the process of accession to northern Macedonia.
While these decisions were taken unanimously, Sofia vetoed them due to bilateral disputes over language and history.
“The French presidency is trying very hard, and I hope to remove the barrier in the coming days,” Clement Buen said. “But I want to be careful at this stage,” he said, referring to “the difficult political situation in Sofia today.”
