The European Commission has urged the European Council to start talks regarding Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.
This step also includes Moldova and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Commission proposed that Georgia should receive candidate status for EU entry.
This suggestion signifies a key advancement for Ukraine, which has sought closer ties with Western entities for over ten years.
The country’s plea for EU membership came in February 2022 amid the Russian military incursion.
The EU recognized Ukraine’s candidacy in the middle of 2022, yet dialogue had not begun. The Commission proposes launching these talks by 2024, pending certain conditions.
Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission’s President, declared the day historic, endorsing the start of accession discussions with Ukraine and Moldova.
She voiced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, considering the ongoing war with Russia since 2014 after Crimea’s annexation by Moscow.
Additionally, von der Leyen suggests opening negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina once it meets the EU’s entry standards.
Furthermore, Ukraine seeks to join NATO. In 2019, its constitution included goals to become part of the EU and NATO.
The EU’s admission process is thorough and demands unanimous consent from all its members.
Ukraine is expected to implement several reforms to align with European norms, with some already in progress.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine welcomed the Commission’s endorsement as a nod to his country’s EU aspirations.
He labeled the decision as just and monumental, underscoring Ukraine’s commitment to fulfilling the EU’s conditions.
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