In 2022, shortly after the start of the Russian offensive, Ukraine asked the EU for immediate membership of the bloc, a request that is still being scrutinized with extreme caution in European capitals.
The EU has granted Ukraine “candidate” status for membership, but the speed of the process is the subject of intense debate. Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, von der Leyen said he has access to promising information from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself.
“You heard President Zelensky in this plenum. I met him in Kiev. I know this from my colleagues in the Commission, they confirm it every day”he said. “Ukrainians are making tangible progress despite the war, despite fighting an aggressor”he added.
According to von der Leyen, “Ukrainians know that joining our bloc is a merit-based process. They have made legislative reforms that others thought would take years.”
EU membership is a process that usually takes years of negotiations – in some cases more than a decade. In addition, several countries are patiently waiting in line.
North Macedonia has formally been a candidate for membership for 17 years, since 2005. Montenegro has been trying to join the bloc since 2010, Serbia since 2012, and Albania since 2014. Turkey became a candidate country in 1999 and started formal negotiations in 2005, but since In 2019, the discussions have stalled.
While diplomats try to temper the illusion of immediate membership, several MEPs have publicly supported von der Leyen’s optimism.
German MP Manfred Weber, leader of the largest group in parliament – the conservative European People’s Party – said Ukrainians deserve support. “Our Ukrainian friends show us every day what it means to be European”he said.
So far, EU leaders have offered Ukraine huge financial aid and massive stockpiles of weapons to resist Russian troops. However, they are still hesitant about the idea that Ukraine could be at the forefront of the long line to become a full member of the EU.
Source: DN
