Brussels is accelerating. The European Commission recommended, on Friday 17 June, to the Member States to grant Ukraine the status of candidate to the European Union. “This, of course, provided that the country carries out a number of important reforms”said the president of the European executive, Ursula von der Leyen. “We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die to defend their European aspirations. We want them to live with us, for the European dream”she defended.
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The European Commission has also recommended doing the same for Moldova and, to a lesser extent, offering Georgia the “perspective” to one day join the Twenty-Seven.
These opinions, as well as the recommended green light for Ukraine, will be discussed at the European summit on June 23 and 24 and the leaders of the 27 EU countries will have to decide unanimously. Never will opinions have been rendered in such a short time on a request for candidacy, an emergency due to the war waged by Russia for more than three months.
On Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said to himself “grateful to Ursula von der Leyen and to every member of the European Commission for a historic decision”. “This is the first step on the road to EU membership, which will (also) certainly bring us closer to victory” against Russia, he added, saying “wait for a positive result” at the next European summit.
For her part, the Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, welcomed “an important moment for the future of the Republic of Moldova and the hope that our citizens need”. “We know the process will be difficult, but we are determined to follow this path”she pointed out in a message posted on Telegram.