This decision marks the beginning of a long and complex process with a view to possible membership.
Le Monde with AP and AFP
The decision was expected by kyiv and Chisinau. Ukraine and Moldova obtain the status of candidates for the European Union (EU), announced Thursday, June 23, the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, evoking a “historic moment” on Twitter . “It’s a good day for Europe”, added Ursula von der Leyen , the president of the European Commission.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, immediately thanked “European leaders for their support”, On Twitter also . “The future of Ukraine is in the European Union,” he added.
“Total consensus”
The European executive had given a favorable opinion on the candidacy of the candidacy a few days ago ‘Ukraine, and Tuesday France, which provides the rotating presidency of the EU Council, had announced that a “total consensus” between the twenty-seven had emerged on this question.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who continues to repeat his country’s belonging to the “European family”, led a real “telephone marathon” to European leaders to ensure consensus in favor of the yes .
Ukraine had filed his request a few days after the invasion of Moscow on February 24. If the status of candidate for membership in the EU does not offer immediate security guarantees, member countries are however covered by a clause of the EU treaty which stipulates that if a member is the victim of an assault armed, the other countries of the Union are required to help him by all means in their power.
This decision, made at a summit of the heads of state and government in the EU countries in Brussels, marks the start of a long and complex process with a view to membership. Obtaining the status of member can take years, even decades and is not guaranteed.
The countries must fulfill a detailed set of economic and political conditions, they must in particular commit to respecting the rule of law and other democratic principles. Ukraine will have to reduce the corruption of its government in this case and adopt other reforms.
For years blocked in the anteroom of the EU, the countries of the Western Balkans already candidates for membership have not hidden their bitterness in the face of the procedures. “It is a good thing to give the status” of candidate for kyiv, said the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, before a meeting in Brussels with the European leaders, but he advised the Ukrainians not to ” ‘Illusions “on rapid membership afterwards.