European Commission supports Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc

During a joint press conference in Kyiv on Thursday with the three main political leaders of the European Union, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s attack on his country amounts to an attack on all countries. . Europe.

He added that the best way to demonstrate our “common and strong position” is by supporting Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, adding that its status as a candidate for EU membership “could historically magnify freedom in Europe and become one of the major European decisions of the first third of the 21st century.”

Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to work towards becoming a full member of the European Union: “We understand that the path to the European Union is really a path and not a single step. But this path must begin, and we are ready to work for that our country has turned into a full member Membership in the European Union, and the Ukrainians have already earned the right to embark on this path. ”

Macron later said that the prospect of Ukraine being granted EU candidate status was a result of the Russian invasion. He was speaking in an interview with CNN affiliate BFMTV Friday on a train leaving Ukraine.

After his visit to Kyiv, he said: “Ukraine should not normally be a candidate, we do it because of the war and because we think it is good.

“It is a sign of hope, it is a message for Ukraine to say that they belong to the European family,” he said.

While Macron said most Western European countries supported the plan, he said, “We have countries that are more conservative.”

The French leader added that the issue of Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership would be decided at the European Council summit next Thursday and Friday.

“There is a long way to go to join the European Union,” he added.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyal expressed his gratitude for the European Commission’s decision. “Grateful to vonderleyen for this decision!” He said via Twitter. It will speed up the whole process [Ukrainian] merge into [European] The internal market is effectively accompanying the recovery of #Ukraine by EU standards.”

The Kremlin said the development required “increased attention” from Moscow. “We are all aware of the intensification in Europe and discussions on strengthening the defense component of the European Union. Therefore, there are various transformations that we are observing,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a daily call with journalists.

what happened after that?

Ukraine will now meet the Copenhagen Criteria, a vague triad of requirements that the EU must satisfy a candidate country to enter into appropriate accession negotiations. They focus on whether or not this country has a functioning free market economy, whether state institutions are qualified to uphold European values ​​such as human rights and the EU’s interpretation of the rule of law and whether the country has a functioning and inclusive democracy.

There are also real concerns that Ukraine is still a long way from meeting the Copenhagen benchmarks anytime soon. According to Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, Ukraine ranks 122nd in its list of 180 countries. For comparison, Russia ranks 136th.

Once a country is deemed to have met these criteria, the EU’s 35 chapters can begin negotiations, the last three of which go back to some areas of the Copenhagen criteria.

Then, when the leaders of the EU member states agree, it must then be ratified in the EU Parliament and by the legislative branches of the government of each member state.

CNN’s Joseph Attaman, Camille Knight, Anna Chernova, and Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report.