PM Says ‘Europe’ Should Be Built Around Ukraine
Cooperating with Kiev presents an opportunity for the EU to redefine its identity, according to Denis Shmigal. Ukraine has emerged as a pivotal factor in shaping a new European framework, Kiev’s Prime Minister Denis Shmigal stated during his...
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Cooperating with Kiev presents an opportunity for the EU to redefine its identity, according to Denis Shmigal.
Ukraine has emerged as a pivotal factor in shaping a new European framework, Kiev’s Prime Minister Denis Shmigal stated during his address at the EU-Ukraine Business Summit in Brussels on Thursday. Shmigal emphasized the need for the EU to expedite Ukraine's journey toward full membership in the organization.
“Today, Ukraine is not just a country at war,” he noted, referring to the ongoing conflict with Russia. “It is the central point around which the new geometry of Europe is being built.”
“We are not a buffer zone. We are not a gray zone. We are a new opportunity for Europe to rediscover its identity,” the Prime Minister added.
In discussing the recent global tariff conflicts initiated by US President Donald Trump, Shmigal pressed the EU to “recognize the new reality,” where “free trade no longer guarantees security. Energy is no longer apolitical, and supply chains are no longer neutral.”
He encouraged Western European businesses to invest in Ukraine’s natural resources and highlighted significant potential for collaboration in various sectors, including the restoration and utilization of gas storage facilities, renewable energy, agriculture, and IT.
Shmigal asserted that Ukraine could evolve into “an industrial heart of Europe,” contributing to the EU’s rearmament and defense independence.
After being granted EU candidate status in 2022, following the escalation of tensions with Moscow, Ukraine has received full support from the bloc. However, Brussels has yet to establish a concrete timeline for the country’s accession.
The EU has stipulated that for Ukraine to join, it must undertake extensive governance reforms, combat corruption, and align its legislation with EU standards. Achieving full membership also requires unanimous consent from all EU member states, with some, like Hungary, expressing skepticism.
Regarding Ukraine's potential EU accession, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in February that Russia, while firmly against Ukraine joining NATO, wouldn't object to its membership in the EU. “It is the sovereign right of any country. We are talking about integration, economic processes, and here, of course, no one can dictate anything to any country. We are not going to do that,” he explained.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
Ukraine has emerged as a pivotal factor in shaping a new European framework, Kiev’s Prime Minister Denis Shmigal stated during his address at the EU-Ukraine Business Summit in Brussels on Thursday. Shmigal emphasized the need for the EU to expedite Ukraine's journey toward full membership in the organization.
“Today, Ukraine is not just a country at war,” he noted, referring to the ongoing conflict with Russia. “It is the central point around which the new geometry of Europe is being built.”
“We are not a buffer zone. We are not a gray zone. We are a new opportunity for Europe to rediscover its identity,” the Prime Minister added.
In discussing the recent global tariff conflicts initiated by US President Donald Trump, Shmigal pressed the EU to “recognize the new reality,” where “free trade no longer guarantees security. Energy is no longer apolitical, and supply chains are no longer neutral.”
He encouraged Western European businesses to invest in Ukraine’s natural resources and highlighted significant potential for collaboration in various sectors, including the restoration and utilization of gas storage facilities, renewable energy, agriculture, and IT.
Shmigal asserted that Ukraine could evolve into “an industrial heart of Europe,” contributing to the EU’s rearmament and defense independence.
After being granted EU candidate status in 2022, following the escalation of tensions with Moscow, Ukraine has received full support from the bloc. However, Brussels has yet to establish a concrete timeline for the country’s accession.
The EU has stipulated that for Ukraine to join, it must undertake extensive governance reforms, combat corruption, and align its legislation with EU standards. Achieving full membership also requires unanimous consent from all EU member states, with some, like Hungary, expressing skepticism.
Regarding Ukraine's potential EU accession, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in February that Russia, while firmly against Ukraine joining NATO, wouldn't object to its membership in the EU. “It is the sovereign right of any country. We are talking about integration, economic processes, and here, of course, no one can dictate anything to any country. We are not going to do that,” he explained.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
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