The European Commission has recommended Ukraine be granted candidate status, a significant step on the long path to become a member of the EU.
Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russia invaded the country.
This is the first step in a process that normally takes up to a decade to complete.
Breaking News: The European Commission recommended Ukraine for EU candidacy, the first formal step in a process that normally takes more than a decade. https://t.co/8hty3nKPUV
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 17, 2022
From the New York Times:
Becoming part of the Union would moor the former Soviet state to the world’s biggest trading bloc. Beyond the economic benefits, Ukraine would also gain a bigger voice on the global stage if it succeeds in joining a giant union that includes Europe’s largest economies like Germany, France and Italy.
The political stability of being anchored to a large group of countries also helps draw foreign investment.
The European Commission stressed that Ukraine’s and Moldova’s candidate statuses are tied to overhauls on the rule of law, justice and anti-corruption.
The need to make difficult changes will be especially pronounced in Ukraine, a country that has struggled with corruption and will eventually have to grapple with the war’s aftermath.
To be clear, this isn’t a done deal regarding Ukraine’s official candidacy to the EU. European Union leaders will meet on June 23 and 24 to approve the candidate status.
Read more at the New York Times.
⚡️ Zelensky: ‘EU membership path will bring our victory closer.’
Zelensky welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation that Ukraine be granted official candidate status.
“It’s the first step on the EU membership path that will certainly bring our victory closer,” he wrote.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) June 17, 2022
⚡️ Zelensky: ‘EU membership path will bring our victory closer.’
Zelensky welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation that Ukraine be granted official candidate status.
“It’s the first step on the EU membership path that will certainly bring our victory closer,” he wrote.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) June 17, 2022