This Thursday, the president of the European Commission transferred part of the community executive to kyiv for an extraordinary meeting with the Ukrainian authorities. The meetings will take place at the highest level, with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and with the kyiv government, on the eve of a Summit between the institutional representatives of the European Union and Ukraine.
The meetings take place just days after Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal expressed his desire for speedy membership of the European Union. But there will be no promises from Europe about speedy accession.
On the subject of expectations in kyiv, the TSF He heard in Brussels the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, who acknowledges that any speculation about dates is “an impossibility”, at a time when the country is at war and there is a set of reforms that must be carried out.
It will be necessary to go beyond simply changing the laws in the country. “Changing the law is not enough, [e] we all know it’s not enough. It has to be carried out and that requires an internal transformation in the countries, which is not easy”, acknowledges the commissioner, pointing out the most pressing examples in terms of reforms.
It is necessary to adapt “the functioning of the institutions, the functioning of the courts, the rule of law, – not only in formal terms but in terms of implementation”, highlighted Elisa Ferreira, expressing the availability of the Commission’s services “to help Ukraine meets all these requirements so that effective accession can take place, enlarging Europe once again.”
Lowering expectations about the results of the meeting, regarding the enlargement process, the commissioner stressed that “in fact there is a whole path of progress to be developed by Ukraine.”
On Tuesday, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmygal, considered that the holding of these meetings is “a strong signal” for the “enemies of Ukraine.”
“What is expected is that the war ends quickly, but it ends well,” said Elisa Ferreira, clarifying that this would mean “preserving democracy in Europe, respect for the rights of each country, its self-determination and a life for its citizens of quality”. “.
The Portuguese commissioner has scheduled meetings this Thursday in northern Europe and is not part of Von der Leyen’s entourage in kyiv.
Among the commissioners who will travel to the Ukrainian capital, under strict security measures, are Valdis Dombrovskis, who oversees the economic portfolios, Margaritis Schinas, vice-president of the Commission in charge of promoting the European Way of Life, or the Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski .
On Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky will host a summit in kyiv with the leaders of the Brussels-based institutions and the head of European Diplomacy. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Policy and Charles Michel, President of the European Council scheduled four discussion topics with the Ukrainian authorities.
“The first is the integration process [da Ucrânia] in the European Union. Secondly, the European response to the war of aggression carried out by Russia against Ukraine”, advanced a European source heard by TSF. Also on the table will be “President Zelensky’s ten-point peace plan, based on issues of accountability and reconstruction.
“Last but not least, I think the issue of global food security is likely to come up,” the same source added.
This senior official admitted that this “is not at all a summit in easy conditions”, pointing out as the main reason the fact that the country is at war. “Holding the Summit in a country at war is an important message about the European Union’s priority in the European Union’s relations with Ukraine.”
Source: TSF
