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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted his country’s application to join the EU on Monday. If Brussels seems determined to quickly grant Ukraine candidate status, joining the bloc is far from certain.
A first step towards participating in theUkraine to the European Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky handed over his country’s questionnaire to EU ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas on Monday, April 18.
“Our people, deep down, have been mentally in Europe for a long time,” the Ukrainian leader said at the meeting in Kiev. “We are really confident that this procedure will be started in the coming weeks.” is a priority for our state, for the power of our people,” Volodymyr Zelensky added to the press on Wednesday, April 20, after meeting Charles Michel.
Ukraine has resisted the Russian invader and enjoys strong support from the European Union, which provides arms and military equipment to its army and has imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia. However, despite Kiev’s urging demands, the country’s integration into the EU is far from unanimous among members.
A process of more than 30 years old
The question of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union is not new. As early as 1993, two years after the fall of the USSR, the Ukrainian government described joining the European bloc as a long-term goal. Although several partnership agreements with the EU have been signed since then, the accession process has remained dormant. It was relaunched in 2005 by President Viktor Yushchenko, but was abandoned by his successor Viktor Yanukovych, close to Moscow. The EU, for its part, was reluctant to adopt such a procedure, fearing that tensions with Russia would increase.
The Russian military offensive against Ukraine, launched on February 24, has brutally disrupted this status quo. On February 28, Volodymyr Zelensky – who since his inauguration in May 2019 has claimed to have “chosen the way of Europe” – presented a request for accelerated integration of his country within the EU. “Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and above all to be on an equal footing. I’m sure that’s right. I’m sure we deserve it,” he said at the time, saying Ukrainian soldiers are fighting “for all of Europe.”
“Direct” integration rejected
The procedure for integration into the European Unionand is a two-step process. To be eligible to apply, the country must first meet the membership requirements. This part alone can take several years. Only then will the work begin to bring the country into compliance with EU rules and regulations. For example, the process of integration of Croatia, the last country to join the EU, took ten years.
Given the circumstances and the clear commitment of his European partners behind Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky hoped to bring about “immediate” integration. But on March 10, the EU leaders gather in Versailles oppose him with an end of inadmissibility. There is “no quick procedure,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said. Ukraine, like its two neighbors Moldova and Georgia, which submitted membership applications in early March, will have to follow the arduous protocol.
Europe divided
In Europe, Ukraine’s accession raises many concerns. “We have to be vigilant. Can we open accession proceedings with a country at war? I don’t think so,” said Emmanuel Macron during the meeting dedicated to Ukraine on March 10-11. To apply for membership, criteria such as having “stable institutions” and a “functional market economy” must be included, two requirements undermined by the current context in Ukraine.
The issue of corruption also plays against the country. In 2022, Ukraine will be ranked 122nd out of 180 Corruption Perception Index, behind Zambia, Egypt and even the Philippines. This plague remains a major problem in Ukraine despite EU initiatives to reduce the chances of corruption Report of the Court of Auditors European September 2021.
However, Kiev’s candidacy enjoys a number of strong supporters within the bloc. Nine Member States of the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary) have expressed their support for the immediate opening of negotiations. Other support, not least that of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen† During a visit to Kiev on April 8, she personally handed over the membership questionnaire to the Ukrainian leader.
It usually takes “years” to obtain EU candidate status, but Brussels “has really given us the opportunity to start this procedure in a few weeks or months,” Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed on April 18 after submitting the file.
For the Ukrainian leader, however, the work has only just begun. The European Commission must now check whether Ukraine meets the criteria and present a recommendation to member states so that negotiations on compliance can begin. Moreover, Ukraine’s accession will require the unanimous consent of 27 members of the EU.
With AFP
