The EU Accession negotiations formally begin this Tuesday with Ukraine and Moldovaat the beginning of a long and complicated path to membership that could extend for years.
The objective of opening conversations with Ukraine is to send a message of support to the country after more than two years of war since Russia invaded Ukrainian territory in February 2022.
Gathered in Luxembourgthe ministers of European Affairs of the countries of the EU confirmed on Friday the negotiating table for Ukraine and Moldovain a step that the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyhe greeted effusively.
On the social network x, Zelensky He said that it was a “historic step” that will allow many Ukrainians to see a “dream” come true.
“Millions of Ukrainians, and indeed generations of our people, are realizing their European dream. Ukraine returns to Europeto which it has belonged for centuries, as a full member of the European community,” he noted.
Ukraine formally presented its offers to join the EU shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of its territory, and even pushed for an accelerated process. The European bloc maintained its support, but did not allow immediate incorporation.
The accession process takes several years of complex negotiations between the aspiring countries and the institutions of the EU in Brusselsa process that can take up to a decade.
Türkiye It began formal accession talks in 2005, and the situation remains deadlocked. Albania It was recognized as a candidate country in 2003, and began formal talks in 2009, which have not yet been completed.
Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia They also wait in line, with growing impatience, It is possible that negotiations will advance but at a slower pace than kyiv dreamed of.
This rhythm will be marked not only by the actions of Russia but because of the reluctance of countries of the same EUas Hungary.
Until now, Ukraine He has received praise for implementing a series of reforms to curb corruption and political interference, but has failed to win more specific promises.
“It is a great credit to the Ukrainian government that it has made such rapid progress towards accession in times of war,” Ukraine’s foreign minister said on Monday. Ireland, Michael Martin.
In his opinion, this “reflects a level of competence and a genuine commitment on the part of the Ukrainian government to join the European Union.”
The war in Ukraine has revitalized a momentum in EU to incorporate new members, after years in which countries, particularly in the Western Balkansthey made little progress in their hopes of uniting.
In December 2023, the EU He also granted formal candidate status to Georgiaanother of the former Soviet neighbors of Russia.
This Tuesday’s EU meetings with Ukraine and Moldova will begin an evaluation process to what extent the laws of those two countries already comply with EU standards and how much more work there is to do.
Once this is done, the EU must begin to establish the conditions for negotiations on 35 issues, ranging from the tax system to environmental policy.
However, it does not seem very likely that this dialogue will make progress at least this year.
Hungary will assume on July 1 the semiannual rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and he already announced that the dialogue with Ukraine It is not part of the priorities of your management semester.
The conversations this Tuesday will occur at a particularly sensitive time for Moldovagiven that USA, United Kingdom and Canada warned of a Russian plot to influence the October presidential election.
Trapped between a Ukraine devastated by war and Romaniaa member country of the EU, Moldova frequently accuses Russia to interfere in its internal affairs.
(With information from AFP)
