European Union members have unanimously backed Ukraine's application to join the organisation. Every minister on Tuesday supported granting Ukraine "candidate status," said France's EU minister. A summit is expected to formally make the move this week itself.
French minister Clement Beaune said the meeting with other EU nations resulted in a "total consensus" on taking the "historic step". France is currently holding the rotating presidency of the EU.
Ukraine applied for membership in the European Union (EU) on 28 February 2022 shortly after the Russian invasion started. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested immediate admission under a "new special procedure".
While it will be years before Kyiv is granted membership status formally, the executive arm of the EU proposed taking a symbolic first step as a sign of support in the ongoing battle. The organisation will impose conditions over judicial reforms and tackling corruption before moving on to formal entry negotiations. Usually, there is a long evaluation process lasting possibly decades before a country gets to be a formal member of the EU.
Ukraine's ambassador to the EU Vsevolod Chentsov said it looks like the country is going to have a smooth or at least smoother discussion than expected regarding candidacy.
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said there is not a single country that has problems with the application of Ukraine and the members will show great unanimity.
The Netherlands and Denmark said they will back the move if conditions regarding reforms are clarified. Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said the EU wants to help the Ukrainians to reach the European dream and granting candidate status is a step and an encouragement to do that.
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to sign off on the move. They are expected to agree to grant Ukraine and another neighbouring nation Moldova "candidate" status, reported AFP.
Moldova is another Eastern European nation that was part of the Soviet Union. President Maia Sandu signed a formal application for EU membership on 3 March 2022 following the Russian attack on Ukraine. The country has strong ties with Romania, which is already an EU member state.