Ursula von der Leyen is back from kyiv, where she was this Saturday, June 11. The European Commission that she presides is giving itself a week to finish assessing the Ukrainian application for EU membership. The goal is to have an “opinion”, a recommendation, ready for the summit of 27 heads of state and government, which opens on June 23.
With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
The President of the European Commission promised this Saturday to Ukraine to ” do everything to support it in its European ambitions », a promise which however goes beyond the leeway available to the Commission.
The College of European Commissioners is meeting this Sunday for an orientation debate, and it is Friday that the Commission should publish its official opinion on Ukraine’s candidacy.
Ukraine, a solid parliamentary democracy, was already on a good track before Russia invaded.
This war is an enormous stress test.
And the whole country is stepping up.The same spirit is needed to reform and modernize the country.
And Europe is here to support you. pic.twitter.com/aGzqp5NNSN
—Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 11, 2022
It is legal and technical work that the Twenty-Seven expect from the European Commission, but its president intends to provide political support to Ukraine, as Ursula von der Leyen told Volodymyr Zelensky in kyiv.
The path is known, it is a path based on merit. We also want to consider what needs to be done next. For example, you have done a lot to strengthen the rule of law, but reforms still need to be implemented, to fight corruption for example.
There is a good chance that the Commission will recommend granting Ukraine candidate status. But the 27 governments will be the only ones to decide. And they are not unanimous.
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The most enthusiastic, such as Poland and Lithuania, advocate an immediate green light. While the most suspicious, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, consider it premature to consider joining for the time being.
