The 27-nation leaders on Thursday recognized Ukraine and Moldova’s EU candidate status, European Council President Charles Michel declared, evoking a “historic moment”, in a full-blown Russian offensive.
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This decision, which was immediately welcomed by Kyiv, which was taken at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union in Brussels, marks the beginning of a long and complex process with a view to membership.
“Today marks an important milestone on your path to the European Union,” Charles Michel said on Twitter, congratulating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Moldovan President Maya Sandu and their people. “We have a future together,” he said, and also tweeted in the languages of those countries.
Georgia, which also aspires to join the European Union, will still have to make reforms to get this status. However, the twenty-seven in him realized the “potential” of joining the Federation one day.
“The future of Georgia is within the European Union,” Charles Michel said.
The leaders followed the commission’s views delivered last week on these three former Soviet republics.
This European Council is “historic,” as German Chancellor Olaf Schulz declared upon his arrival at the summit.
Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia submitted their candidacy shortly after the outbreak of the Moscow-led war in Ukraine at the end of February.
The European Union has never been quick to grant this status, which is new evidence of its solidarity with Kyiv and Chisinau.
However, many representatives of member states warned that Ukrainians “must have no illusions” about joining quickly. Emmanuel Macron estimated in May that it would take “decades” to join Kyiv.
The Commission should conduct a preliminary assessment at the end of the year of the reforms required of the two countries, which relate in particular to the fight against corruption and the independence of the judiciary.
The next stage, the opening of formal negotiations, will again require the consensus of the 27 nations.
Those negotiations are still not open to North Macedonia and Albania, candidates since 2005 and 2014, respectively. Western Balkan countries also expressed frustration on Thursday at the slow pace of their accession process.
