EU Ukraine and Moldova get yes as EU candidate countries

 

Of: 

 

Beri Zangana, Marcus Bornlid Lesseur 

 

Published: Less than 3 hours ago 

 

Updated: Less than 10 minutes ago 

 

NEWS 

 

EU countries say yes to Ukraine and Moldova as candidate countries. 

 

This was announced at a summit in Brussels on Thursday. 

 

- Ukraine's future exists within the EU, writes Volodomyr Zelenskyj. 

 

The EU summit gives Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for membership, says Council President Charles Michel on Twitter. The decision was made by EU heads of state and government at today's summit in Brussels. 

 

On Twitter, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen also wrote that "this is a good day for Europe". 

 

- Congratulations to President Zelensky and Prime Minister Gharibashvili. Your countries are part of our European family. And today's historic decision confirms that, writes Ursula von der Leyen. 

 

 

Happy girl with Ukrainian flag outside EU headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. Photo: Valentin Bianchi / AP

 

Praises EU leaders 

 

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyj, in turn, writes on the platform that he "praises" the EU leaders' decision to grant Ukraine candidate status.

 

- Ukraine's future exists within the EU, writes Volodomyr Zelenskyj. 

 

Ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, Sweden announced that it would support both countries' candidacies - a turnaround that Ann Linde justified by Russia's war against Ukraine. 

 

However, moving from a candidate country to a full member of the EU can take time. 

 

- It can take many, many years. In order to be able to join as a member, you must meet the requirements of democracy, economic principles, non-corruption. 

 

Facts 

 

Copenhagen criteria: EU membership requirements At a summit in Copenhagen in 1993, the EU member states laid down some basic criteria for what it takes to become a member.

 

• Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect and protection of minorities 

• A functioning market economy and capacity to handle competition and market forces in the EU 

 

• Opportunity to take in and effectively implement the obligations of a membership, including complying with the objectives of political, economic and monetary union. 

 

Source: European Commission 

 

No guarantee 

 

In practice, the candidate country status means that Ukraine and Moldova, if they meet certain conditions, can initiate a lengthy negotiation process with the EU Member States, which may result in them being admitted as members. 

 

In order for the countries to be admitted into the Union, they must in the long run be able to live up to the laws and norms that have been established by the EU, which apply to both democratic and the rule of law issues and the countries 'ability to adapt to the European economy. 

 

Turkey has been an EU candidate country for 21 years, but whether the country will ever meet the demands of the EU is a very open question. 

 

No yes to Georgia 

 

Ahead of the summit, there were also voices saying that Georgia should be granted candidate country status, but that was not the case this time.

 

 - It's important that we do not leave Georgia outside. Georgia was the first country to suffer from Putin's imperial dreams in 2008. The EU and Sweden were too weak in reacting to that attack. Now we must be clear, said Kerstin Lundgren, Center Party member of the EU committee Kerstin Lundgren, before the meeting.

 

 

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a recent press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Ukraine today hopes to gain the status of a candidate for EU membership. Stock Photography. Photo: Natacha Pisarenko / AP / TT  

 

"We say yes to Ukraine" 

 

Ahead of the summit, there was uncertainty about how Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would stand on Ukraine's and Moldova's candidacies, as he had in many cases chosen to clash with the other EU leaders. 

 

But before the meeting, he made his position clear in a film clip in Hungarian, states TT.

 

- We say yes to Ukraine, Viktor Orbán stated. 

 

In return, the meeting was delayed as a number of EU countries pressed for candidate status to be granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina as well. 

 

 

On Thursday, it was demonstrated outside the EU summit in Brussels, in support of Ukraine. Photo: Olivier Matthys / AP / TT

Teresa Küchler is Svenska Dagbladet's Brussels correspondent. She describes it as a symbolic message.

- On a symbolic level, this is huge, because what you really say is; we open the door wide open for Ukraine. This closes the door in the other direction, to Russia and shows that this is the path that Ukraine wants to take. Symbolically, it is huge, but practically it may not be huge, says Teresa Küchler to Aftonbladet.

Will take time 

Now that Ukraine and Moldova have gained their candidate status, they can start negotiating, Teresa Küchler explains. 

 - It's about them agreeing to change. Turkey received candidate status in 1999, but it has not moved a bit there, they are further away from the EU today than they may have ever been, says Teresa Küchler. 

The message may provoke reactions from Russia  

- There have been slightly different offers about that, one of Putin's all spokespersons has said that we can retaliate on this but without mentioning what it would be. Both Putin and his associates have repeatedly said that: we will not hesitate to resort to nuclear weapons. It is belligerence from both sides, says Teresa Küchler.