Kyiv still has many steps to actually join the European Union
MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favor of granting EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. 529 deputies voted for the decision, 45 were against, 14 abstained. The resolution is of an advisory nature. The final decision is to be made later at the EU summit. Representatives of the association note that the countries will first have to carry out serious reforms.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. Photo: AP
The European Parliament's statement states that the EU leadership must fulfill its historic responsibility – to give Ukraine and Moldova “a clear political signal confirming their European perspective.”
“With 529 votes in favor, 45 against and 14 abstentions, Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday calling on the heads of state to host the summit today and tomorrow to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status without delay,” the European Parliament said. he said in a statement. . .
MEPs also called on the EU to grant Georgia candidate status. At the same time, they specified that this should happen once its government meets the conditions set by the European Commission.
It is important to understand that the resolution adopted by the European Parliament is purely advisory. The final decision on this issue will be taken later at the EU summit, which is currently taking place in Brussels.
The European Parliament noted that such a decision was taken as a “symbol of hope” to preserve the spirit of Ukrainians. After all, for real accession to the European Union, Kyiv will have to “take a lot of steps.”
In addition, this process could easily be reversed if the future Kiev government fails to implement the necessary rule of law reforms and align its economy. with EU standards.
The transition from “applicant” status to “candidate” status usually takes years. However, the European Union has accelerated this process in relation to Ukraine. According to the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the desire of Kiev to join the EU led the Ukrainians to “go through hell”. Ukraine and Moldova.
“This is a crucial moment for the European Union,” he said. he told reporters. “It is also a geopolitical choice that we will make today, and I am sure that we will grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate status.”
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the candidate's status would “draw a line behind decades of ambiguity” and “carve them in stone: Ukraine is Europe, not part of the” Russian world. “
Ukrainian Ambassador to the EU Vsevolod Chentsov commented on the possibility of obtaining such status and noted that the European Union is acting “fast lightning” according to its standards.
“We need this clarity [in terms of EU membership] to support the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian society morally, psychologically and gain a clear sense and understanding of the direction of the country's movement,” he added.
Meanwhile, senior European officials The Guardian said 10 member states that had previously opposed Ukraine's status as a candidate for EU membership. Recently, however, they have changed their positions under some pressure.
The draft conclusions of the summit, which the publication read, say that the “progress” of a candidate country will depend on “its own merits” as well as “the EU's ability to accept new members. “
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously said in this context that the EU needs to” reform its internal procedures “in order to prepare for the admission of new members. The politician called for greater use of the votes of the super-majority in areas such as foreign policy to end the blocking of decisions by one country.
Recall that a two-day European Union summit was held in Brussels on Thursday 23 June. . The main topic of the summit was the EU's further steps to strengthen security and stability on the continent.