Zelensky: “Accession negotiations during the year to motivate the associations.” EU: We need unanimity

Ukraine wants EU accession talks to start this year “to motivate us and our soldiers who are also fighting”. This was expressed by President Volodymyr Zelensky at the press conference after his speech at the EU Summit. With him were Charles Michel, president of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the Commission, and both congratulated the country on the “impressive” progress made in the past few weeks in the reforms that Brussels wanted Brussels to initiate. negotiations.

And so, while answering a question from journalists about their expectations, the Ukrainian leader began a curtain call in which he clearly explained what his expectations were. “I think I heard it, but maybe I wanted to hear it or maybe we want a lot, I think I heard that after the results of the recommendations we can start the dialogue about our future in the EU,” he began, then smiling at the two EU leaders: “My question is to both, because we need unity. at the “have” point. “We need the start of accession negotiations this year to motivate both us and our army fighting against Russia. To tell them what we are fighting for. The sovereignty of Ukraine, for our children, but also for accession to the European Union,” he said. minister.

At this point he turned to Michel, who was still smiling but said clearly: “Charles, when I say this year, I mean this year: 2023”. The reaction of the President of the European Council at that point was diplomatic but clear: “I feel responsible, but it is a unanimous decision, we will do our best”. And even if the Commission says in its due diligence in a few months that all reforms have been implemented correctly, the unanimity of Twenty-seven on this issue will certainly not be easily achieved. Countries like Hungary, but not only, may still ask for more time, because no country has experienced such a rapid accession process as Zelensky proposes.

Waving to congratulate Ukraine as well, Von der Leyen reminded that he is German and that his response to the subject is more rational and less rhetorical, and argued that “we are not facing a strict deadline” and that the EU membership process is “founded”. Therefore, it is the candidate country who decides how far to go and at what speed to achieve the goals.” And the following steps are set. “There will be an oral report in the spring, but the main goal is to show the progress and the story of progress and reforms in the written report on enlargement.” However, the president conceded that Ukraine is “impressively on the path to the EU”, adding, “The road from now on It may still be difficult, but I can guarantee that we will always be by your side.”

Albania and North Macedonia were the last countries to allow accession negotiations to the European Union to start last July. The first was officially nominated in 2014 (after applying in 2009) and the other in 2005 (after applying almost two years ago). This means that eight and ten years have passed since they were granted candidate status before negotiations actually started. Kyiv, which only got its candidate status last June (just four months after it applied), aims to achieve the same result in less than two times.

But this will not be easy, because beyond the terms and conditions, Ukraine is not only still at war, but there are also deep gaps that need to be filled in terms of democracy and the rule of law. When the commission gave Kiev the green light for candidate status in June, it made clear seven conditions that must be met to move the process forward: justice reform, “anti-oligarch” law, anti-corruption and money laundering, defense of minorities, and media pluralism.