Portugal calls on EU to start preparations for Ukraine's accession
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Portugal is actively lobbying for Ukraine's accession to the European Union, seeking to initiate preparations for the potential enlargement, reports Bloomberg.
“We are very engaged in the enlargement process,” Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said in an interview on the sidelines of the Ambrosetti Forum, a conference held on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy.
“We need to prepare to receive Ukraine in the EU when that’s possible,” he added. That process will require a financial and institutional reform that we should take care of immediately.
Regarding the Kursk operation, the Portuguese Foreign Minister noted that Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region has shifted the perception of the war's balance. He also called for negotiations to end the conflict, which he believes should be led by Kyiv.
Recently, Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, told RBC-Ukraine that negotiations on all aspects of EU accession are scheduled for 2024-2025. Next year, discussions will focus on fundamental rules.
