European politician Katarina Barley and Green Party politician Anton Hofreiter support Ukraine's EU accession status.
The countries of the Western Balkans, meanwhile, are frustrated.
Brussels – Kiev's wish has come true: On Thursday (23 June), the European Council decided to declare Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova EU accession candidates.
A "strong signal of determination," said Council President Charles Michel.
The very country that Russia wants to deny its legitimacy through its war of aggression is now on the way to EU membership.
A hesitant first step, however, because Ukraine is still a long way from accession talks.
The summit statement said: Member States would decide on “further steps once all conditions are met”.
The EU Commission will nominate them.
Vice-President of the EU Parliament, Katarina Barley (SPD), is pleased with the decision of the EU summit in the midst of the escalating Ukraine conflict.
“Ukraine and Moldova are now officially candidate countries, and I am happy about that.
The candidate status is an important gesture to Ukraine and also to Moldova: you belong to the European family,” she emphasizes at IPPEN.MEDIA.
But she emphasizes again: “The road to full accession of the two countries will be long.
Extensive reforms are pending for both countries in the next few years in order to meet the Copenhagen criteria.” explained in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA.
The road to full accession of the two countries will be long.
Extensive reforms are pending for both countries in the next few years in order to meet the Copenhagen criteria.
Vice-President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley
Western Balkans frustrated, Ukraine delighted after decision at EU summit: "major blow to credibility"
No shortcut on the way to EU membership.
But despite the accusation of symbolic politics, which has often been raised, the decision in Ukraine has been received with joy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted: "Ukraine's future lies in the EU".
However, the mood in the Western Balkans is depressed.
After all, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina have been waiting to join the EU for almost two decades.
The EU's summit meeting with the Western Balkans ahead of the EU summit on June 23-24 ended without a fresh perspective.
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The missed opportunity is likely to be particularly painful for North Macedonia, whose accession process is still being blocked by EU country Bulgaria.
"What is happening now is a serious problem and a serious blow to the credibility of the European Union," North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski told reporters after the meeting,
Politico
reported.
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EU-Western Balkans Summit: Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama (L), speaks with European Council President Charles Michel, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, followed by North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski (4thL), France President Emmanuel Macron (4thR), Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (back, C), President of Montenegro Milo Dukanovic (3rd R), Bulgarian Prime Minister Petkov Kiril (2nd R) and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis (R). the start of the EU-Western Balkans Heads of State and Government Meeting on June 23, 2022 in Brussels.
© JOHN THYS/AFP
EU accession candidates Ukraine and Republic of Moldova: Hofreiter demands movement in the Western Balkans
The frustration about this also made itself felt in the deliberations on the candidate status for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova - and ended in a tentative compromise.
Bosnia-Herzegovina can hope to join the group of candidate countries soon.
According to dpa, EU Council President Charles Michel announced on the sidelines of the EU summit that the EU Commission should quickly present a new report on the country's reform efforts.
Georgia could also soon follow once the country implements certain reforms, according to the European Council conclusion of 23 June.
It is frustrating that the start of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia are repeatedly blocked.
We urgently need to make progress here.
Green politician Anton Hofreiter
Anton Hofreiter (Greens) also emphasized the need to accommodate the countries of the Western Balkans in a statement to IPPEN.MEDIA.
Hofreiter: “It is frustrating that accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia are repeatedly blocked.
We urgently need to make progress here.
Albania and North Macedonia belong to the EU and are important partners for a peaceful and stable Western Balkan region.” On the other hand, he comments positively on the decision regarding Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova: “The candidate status for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova is a milestone in European integration .
It is also an expression of successful reforms in the countries and the determination of their lively civil societies,” says the Green politician IPPEN.MEDIA.
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