examination of the candidacy of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova

The requests from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which wish to join the European Union, are under discussion on Tuesday 8 March. “At first, it is above all a very strong symbolic gesture, a way of sending a very strong political signal, explains a diplomat, to clearly tell these countries, you are part of the European family”reports journalist Julien Gasparutto, from France Télévisions Brussels (Belgium).

Indirectly, the European Union also wishes to send a “defiance message” to Vladimir Putin, for whom “such membership would be a red line”. That said, the Europeans have only started the examination of the candidacy. “The European Commission will then have to give the green light, then the 27 Heads of State and Government, for these countries to become official candidates”, continues the journalist. They will then have to provide guarantees, particularly in terms of political or economic stability. Several years will be necessary to finalize the procedure.