The European Union is gearing up to open negotiations with Ukraine on its future accession to the bloc with a formal announcement expected as soon as December.
According to three diplomats with knowledge of the plans, leaders are preparing to give Kyiv the green light to begin formal talks on joining the 27-country bloc before the end of the year.
Ukraine is at the heart of a major new push to expand the EU to as many as 35 countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her annual address to Parliament last month that Ukraine’s future was “in the Union.”
EU countries granted Kyiv status as a candidate for EU membership in June, and the Commission is due to issue a “progress report” on how well Ukraine and other aspiring members are meeting the bloc’s conditions for joining in November, according to an EU official who spoke to journalists on Tuesday.
It will be somewhat challenging for them to meet all the criteria, but they would benefit from the attempt either way. I imagine being part of the bloc will be key to their demographic future after the war.
What do you think the major challenges are?
The Ukraine has a ton of corruption on all levels, which would be a big problem. The EU only allows corruption at the top.
There’s a million things I don’t know,
but the two big things that have to get mentioned first are the war and Turkey’s inevitable opposition.Turkey isn’t in the EU, do they have much sway?
One problem I forgot to mention is people like me, who will be distracted while trying to contribute to the conversation, who overlook the fact that we’re not talking about NATO.