After the visit of the European political elite to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a “historic day” for his country. “Ukraine has felt the support of four powerful European states,” he said in his overnight speech on Thursday, “it has come so close to the EU since independence.” However, according to the Ukrainian foreign minister, “actions must now follow”. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz prepared Ukraine for a lengthy EU accession process, “but it’s worth it”.
Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian Head of State Klaus Iohannis visited Kiev on the 113th day of the Russian war of aggression and brought a special gift: the leaders of the three largest EU countries and Iohannis clearly emphasized for the first time that the EU backs Ukraine’s bid for membership.
The status of a candidate for accession means that hope towards Europe is becoming concrete for the people of Ukraine, Scholz said in the ZDF “heute journal” on Thursday evening. “And that is not an easy road, but a very demanding one, which can also take a very long time,” he made clear. Everyone in Ukraine knows that too.
As for the time horizon, Scholz said no one could seriously answer that. “But it’s worth it, that’s the message.” On ZDF and ARD, the German chancellor mentioned questions about the rule of law and democracy, which are the preconditions for EU accession.
The approval of the big three is seen as an important signal
The EU commission plans to announce the outcome of its examination of Ukraine’s application for membership on Friday and present a recommendation. The decision should be unanimous, probably at the EU summit on June 23-24 in Brussels. The approval of the three largest EU countries is seen as an important signal. With the accession candidate status, concrete negotiations on a country’s admission to the EU can begin – implementation would then take about 20 years. Ukraine applied for membership shortly after Russia attacked on February 24.
Zelenskyy to Moscow: ‘Nobody was afraid’
Thanks to the courage of Ukrainian men and women, Europe can write a new history of freedom “and finally eliminate the gray area between the EU and Russia in Eastern Europe,” Zelenskyy said. He recalled repeated aerial warnings over Kiev during the peak visit. Russia wanted to create a tense atmosphere, “but nobody was afraid,” the Ukrainian president said. It was only negotiated more intensively in the interest of the Ukrainians and all Europeans.
“Now hope that happens”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described Scholz’s visit to Kiev as an important step towards restoring mutual trust. “The words that touch us today must be followed by actions. We hope that will happen,” Kuleba told the ARD “Tagesthemen” on Thursday, according to the translation. could become the European Union “But it is important that everyone says that Ukraine belongs to Europe.”
Kuleba believes allegations of corruption are exaggerated: “Our government agencies are stable, in a corrupt country they cannot guarantee the defense of the country because they are only interested in their own money and income.” The government is in the process of implementing reforms. “We know this makes Ukraine stronger,” Kuleba said.
The German chancellor made no concrete commitments in Kiev on Thursday for further arms supplies to Ukraine. Do what is necessary, and do it carefully, Scholz told RTL/ntv. This has ensured that Germany has so far made a “very efficient contribution”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
