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bne July 2022 Eastern Europe I 61
a disappointment for Georgia, which dropped out of the "Trio" because of the ruling Georgian Dream Party's erosion of democratic norms.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded to the decision by tweeting: "It's a unique and historical moment
in [Ukraine-EU] relations. Grateful
to Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen and EU leaders' support. Ukraine's future is within the EU."
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said: "Ukraine will prevail. Europe will prevail. Today marks the beginning of a long journey we will walk together."
However, the reaction from ordinary Ukrainians has been mixed, with many wondering what impact the decision will make in the midst of a war in which Ukraine is struggling to get enough armaments.
“I used to really want to see Ukraine
as part of the European Union. But looking at how slowly Europe is helping arm Ukraine in such a difficult war, where many innocent people are
dying, it becomes very sad,” Nick,
a photographer from Bucha, told
bne IntelliNews. “But still, if security requires an alliance, it is clear it should be with Europe.”
"I think it's an awkward attempt of the EU to make things right," said Valeria, a tech worker from Kyiv. "We've been fed with way too many promises that can't be fulfilled and us having candidate status feels just like more diplomatic talk. It's more of a promise than an actual plan for action."
Others feel that EU candidate status is Ukraine’s right and even the goal of many Ukrainians in this war.
“Candidate status is neither a gift nor
a debt. We paid the price for it. As a result, we’ll become the first and only country whose citizens have given their lives for EU membership,” Tania, a PR consultant from Chernivtsi, told bne IntelliNews. "The status will also deepen our faith that Ukraine will become a
member of the EU, a member of the Eurofamily,” she added.
For some, EU membership is a no-brainer and the obvious path for Ukraine. “We should join for more political stability. I think everyone in Ukraine will answer the same now,” said Aleksandr, a student from Kyiv.
Moscow has previously condemned Ukraine’s relationship with the EU, saying it sees Ukraine’s entry in the Bloc
positive signal to investors that Ukraine is moving in the right direction," American Chamber of Commerce President Andy Hunder told Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine Business News reported.
However, although now a step closer to achieving its goal, several EU states, predominantly France and Germany, remain sceptical about Ukraine’s membership, with Paris warning that it may take decades. French President Emmanuel Macron
“We've been fed with way too many promises that can't be fulfilled and us having candidate status feels just like more diplomatic talk. It's more of a promise than an actual plan for action”
as equivalent to joining Nato. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claims the union has turned from being a “constructive economic platform” into “an aggressive, militant player that
is already declaring its ambitions far beyond the European continent.”
Ukraine presented its application for EU membership only four days after Russia’s invasion on February 24. Kyiv filled out the questionnaire in just over a month, a speed that reflected the urgency of the request.
EU candidate status and membership are key points in Ukraine’s economic roadmap to recovery outlined by Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko. According to Svyrydenko, full membership will give Ukraine crucial access to the EU's structural funds. She also emphasised that Ukraine should have access to the EU and G7 markets to help manufacturers integrate into global supply chains and increase exports to help recover from Russia's devastating aggression.
"EU candidate status will give a push to a new trajectory of GDP growth while providing a huge morale boost for post-war economic transformation and reform. Moreover, this step sends a
had earlier suggested that a second- class membership category be created for Ukraine that acknowledges its European aspirations, but stops short
of admitting it to the club and granting it the freedoms of movement of labour, capital and goods, as well as access to the billions of euros in funds that comes with membership.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also said recently that the bloc must change its voting rules in key areas such as foreign policy before accepting any new members.
However, Kyiv has found ardent supporters in Central and Eastern Europe, especially Poland, which has vocally backed Ukraine’s membership.
“Today, Ukraine needs our signal: the opening of European doors for Ukraine as a state, for Ukrainian society, that wants to be part of the European community, not Russia’s sphere of influence,” Polish President Andrzej Duda said last month. “Countries striving for the European Union should receive a clear signal that the doors to the EU are open.”
Long road ahead
The accession process takes years. Since 1992, no country has managed to pass
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