BRUSSELS/LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) – The European Union executive will recommend on Wednesday that the bloc open membership negotiations with Kyiv once it meets outstanding conditions, two EU officials said on Monday, more than 20 months since Russia invaded Ukraine.
In Kyiv, a senior government official said Ukraine expected the European Commission to deliver a “positive” appraisal of its membership bid, a coveted prize as troops face battle fatigue and concerns swirl over the future of vital U.S. military aid.
The Commission will assess Ukraine across seven reform areas in a report that will inform a key decision in December at a summit of the EU’s national leaders on whether to start formal membership negotiations with Kyiv.
Both EU officials said the recommendations meant formal negotiations with Kyiv – and another EU candidate Moldova – could start next year.
They added the Commission’s report, which will also cover progress towards membership by other EU hopefuls, was still to be finalised before official publication.
Membership negotiations typically take years before candidates meet extensive legal and economic criteria to join, and the bloc is wary of taking in a country at war.
Still, advancing Western integration is a top priority for Ukraine, a former Soviet republic of some 44 million people sitting between Russia and the EU.
Backers of bringing Ukraine closer to the EU speak of a geo-strategic necessity.
“The consensus is clear,” said a senior French diplomat, adding that support for Ukraine remained “very solid” in the EU and the bloc could not afford to lose out against Russia.
Hungary – where Prime Minister Viktor Orban prides himself on his contacts with Moscow – has become the main potential opponent of a positive decision for Kyiv in December, which will require unanimous backing of all the bloc’s 27 member states.
REFORMS IN WARTIME
On a visit to Kyiv on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Ukraine for making headway on reforms, saying the country had met over 90% of the conditions laid out to start formal membership talks.
Her visit capped a week when Ukraine’s commander-in-chief said the war was moving towards attritional fighting and the Italian premier spoke of international fatigue with the war during a prank call that was later made public.
Von der Leyen named the outstanding reforms as further stepping up the fight against corruption, passing a law on lobbying and tightening more asset declaration rules.
Lastly, she said Ukraine needed to address pending recommendations by the Venice Commission – an advisory body to the Council of Europe, a European rights watchdog with members including EU states – on safeguarding rights of national minorities, including in education.
That issue has been raised prominently by Budapest, which has complained about Ukraine’s treatment of ethnic Hungarians.
“You are fighting an existential war and at the same time deeply reforming your country,” von der Leyen told a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv.
She expressed confidence that Ukraine would soon complete the remaining steps and advance on its EU path. Zelenskiy said Kyiv would deliver on the conditions, and that a positive EU decision would give fresh motivation to his country and troops.
“There will be no grey geo-political zones in Europe. We will secure a new basis for growth and development of Ukraine and all European countries. We will guarantee to our country and citizens real economic and social security,” he said.
Source : Reuters