Duda names Ukraine as Poland's priority during EU presidency
Photo: Andrzej Duda, President of Poland (Getty Images)
Poland will assume the EU presidency on January 1, 2025. Its priorities will be Ukraine’s European integration and an open-door policy for new member states, according to Polish President Andrzej Duda.
"Issues of how to act so that Ukraine not only survives the terrible Russian attack that it is currently struggling with but also how to act so that Ukraine can be admitted to the European Union as soon as possible were repeatedly raised," said President Duda.
He added that he has already presented Poland’s EU presidency priorities for the first half of next year to other national leaders, focusing on strengthening transatlantic ties between the EU and the United States.
"We have also discussed the issue of European integration of new member states, i.e., the open doors to Europe, which – in our opinion – must stay open. We also indicated those countries that we assume will be accepted into the European Union first. To begin with, Ukraine, but also Moldova, the countries of the Western Balkans," Duda emphasized.
Ukraine’s EU accession
In the summer of 2022, Ukraine was granted candidate status for EU membership, and by 2023, the Union supported opening negotiations.
This summer, the European Commission urged member states to begin a dialogue on the integration of Ukraine and Moldova.
