Europe EU launches accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova
The European Union has opened accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Representatives of Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, and its small neighbor Moldova met in Luxembourg on Tuesday for the first so-called intergovernmental conferences.
25.06.2024, 19:51
SDA
"This is a historic moment for all of us and a milestone in our relationship," said Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib on behalf of the EU at the start of the talks. The enlargement process is a geopolitical investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity.
How long the accession negotiations will take and whether they can be brought to a successful conclusion at all remains to be seen. EU accession negotiations with Turkey, for example, were launched back in 2005 - but are now completely on hold following the country's continued setbacks in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
It is also currently considered impossible for Ukraine to become an EU member state before the end of the Russian war of aggression. This is because Kiev could then call for military assistance under Article 42, paragraph 7 of the EU Treaty - and the EU would be a party to the war.
A great day for Ukraine
Nevertheless, the opening of the negotiations was widely celebrated in Ukraine. "Today is the day we have all worked long and hard for - the entire Ukrainian team," said President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message recorded outside his official residence in Kiev. The country now has the definite certainty of becoming a fully-fledged member of the EU. The head of state also recalled the signing of the membership application on the fifth day of the Russian invasion at the end of February 2022. Head of government Denys Shmyhal and parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk could be seen on the video with Zelensky.
"Many have said that this is nothing more than a dream," said Selensky. However, after "thousands of meetings and phone calls", Kiev had fulfilled the conditions for the start of talks thanks to the determination of the Ukrainian people.
Parliamentary Speaker Stefanchuk expressed his conviction that Ukraine would complete the accession process in record time. "We have passed all the necessary laws and will continue to do so, so that Ukraine will never again be detached from the European house," he emphasized. Prime Minister Shmyhal said of the aspired EU accession: "We will definitely achieve this goal - as well as all our other goals."
EU calls for further reforms
Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Lahbib reminded the EU that further progress in the accession process is linked to the fulfillment of conditions and could theoretically be reversed. "The EU expects Ukraine to continue to take responsibility and demonstrate the credibility of its commitments and political will by implementing necessary reforms (...)," she said.
As concrete examples, she cited reforms in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights, the strengthening of democratic institutions and a reform of the public administration. Particular attention should therefore be paid to judicial reform, the fight against corruption and the protection and non-discriminatory treatment of national minorities. The latter point is particularly important for the EU country Hungary, which considers a Hungarian minority in Ukraine to be disadvantaged and has repeatedly threatened to block the accession process.
The main item on the agenda of the first intergovernmental conferences on Tuesday was a presentation of the guidelines and principles for the negotiations by the EU. According to diplomats, the first substantive talks are likely to begin in the course of the next twelve months. Until then, the EU Commission still has to examine in a so-called screening to what extent the national law of the candidate countries still deviates from EU law.
Von der Leyen: The path is challenging, but full of opportunities
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized on Tuesday that the opening of negotiations was very good news for the people of Ukraine, Moldova and the European Union as a whole. "The road ahead will be challenging, but also full of opportunities," she wrote on Platform X.
