EU accelerates talks for Ukraine's admission, reports Politico
Brussels is prepared to engage in discussions regarding two “clusters” of issues with Kiev; however, resistance from multiple member states continues to be a point of contention. Read Full Article at RT.com
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Several member states continue to express their objections while Brussels offers support to Kiev.
Brussels is set to expedite membership discussions with Kiev, planning to open two negotiation “clusters” by mid-2025, according to EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. Ukraine, which applied for EU membership in February 2022, received formal candidate status later that same year.
The EU accession process involves completing six negotiation “clusters,” which contain 35 chapters that outline various requirements. So far, Kiev has not commenced discussions on any of these clusters.
“From the technical point of view, we can be ready to open two clusters for Ukraine in the first half of the year,” Kos stated during a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday. “It’s not possible without the member states,” she noted further.
For Ukraine to join the EU, unanimous consent is required from all 27 member states at every stage of the process. Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria have voiced objections to Ukraine’s membership for different reasons. Nonetheless, the leadership in Brussels appears to be supportive of Kiev.
“It’s necessary for the EU to develop further and have new member states,” remarked Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s top diplomat, during the same press conference.
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Olga Stefanishina, recently traveled to Brussels advocating for expedited EU membership. This visit was characterized by PMG as a move to “reinforce” Kiev’s position ahead of expected peace negotiations with Moscow.
The previous European Commission indicated that Ukraine might be able to join the EU by 2029, provided it makes significant headway on political and judicial reforms, as well as tackling organized crime and corruption. In June, Kiev’s envoy to the EU, Katarina Mathernova, indicated that the year 2030 was a “very realistic date” for membership.
Ukraine formalized its ambitions for EU and NATO membership by amending its constitution in 2019. While Russia did not initially contest Ukraine’s aspirations toward the EU, it staunchly opposed any affiliation with the US-led military alliance. Following the intensification of conflict between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the EU as “an aggressive militant player that declares its ambitions far beyond the European continent.”
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Brussels is set to expedite membership discussions with Kiev, planning to open two negotiation “clusters” by mid-2025, according to EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. Ukraine, which applied for EU membership in February 2022, received formal candidate status later that same year.
The EU accession process involves completing six negotiation “clusters,” which contain 35 chapters that outline various requirements. So far, Kiev has not commenced discussions on any of these clusters.
“From the technical point of view, we can be ready to open two clusters for Ukraine in the first half of the year,” Kos stated during a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday. “It’s not possible without the member states,” she noted further.
For Ukraine to join the EU, unanimous consent is required from all 27 member states at every stage of the process. Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria have voiced objections to Ukraine’s membership for different reasons. Nonetheless, the leadership in Brussels appears to be supportive of Kiev.
“It’s necessary for the EU to develop further and have new member states,” remarked Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s top diplomat, during the same press conference.
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Olga Stefanishina, recently traveled to Brussels advocating for expedited EU membership. This visit was characterized by PMG as a move to “reinforce” Kiev’s position ahead of expected peace negotiations with Moscow.
The previous European Commission indicated that Ukraine might be able to join the EU by 2029, provided it makes significant headway on political and judicial reforms, as well as tackling organized crime and corruption. In June, Kiev’s envoy to the EU, Katarina Mathernova, indicated that the year 2030 was a “very realistic date” for membership.
Ukraine formalized its ambitions for EU and NATO membership by amending its constitution in 2019. While Russia did not initially contest Ukraine’s aspirations toward the EU, it staunchly opposed any affiliation with the US-led military alliance. Following the intensification of conflict between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the EU as “an aggressive militant player that declares its ambitions far beyond the European continent.”
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
