Ukraine 'pushed the queue': Borrell on EU enlargement process
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell (Photo: RBC-Ukraine, Vitalii Nosach)
The previously mentioned year 2030, as the deadline for the expansion of the European Union, is considered only as a guideline. This is because, thanks to Ukraine, this process will proceed more quickly, according to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
"This is a political horizon... But it does not mean exact deadlines," he noted.
Thus, the head of European diplomacy commented to journalists on the statement by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, that the EU can only accept new members in 2030.
According to Borrell, setting such a date was to "mobilize political energy to start the movement."
He also expressed that the EU leadership has already spent too much time expanding the bloc and expects the expansion process to accelerate thanks to Ukraine's application as a candidate for EU membership.
"It pushed the queue, and the queue will move, and we will move faster," Borrell added.
Ukraine's EU accession
Last year, Ukraine obtained candidate status for EU accession. Now, the country needs to fulfill several conditions to become a full-fledged member of the bloc.
As of the end of June, our country has fulfilled two of seven conditions necessary to start negotiations. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal recently stated that the country is completing the implementation of all European Commission recommendations at the government level.
At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, is confident that negotiations on EU accession will start this year.
EU expansion
Earlier, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, suggested that the Western Balkans and other candidate countries for EU accession and the bloc itself should be ready for expansion by 2030.
The European Commission also plans to make "significant proposals" on EU expansion in October of this year.
