Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday formally signed an official request for his country for immediate membership of the European Union, a political and economic grouping of 27 European countries.
Zelenskyy asked the bloc to allow his country to gain ‘immediate’ membership under a special fast-track procedure as it continues to defend itself against the Russians.
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A senior EU official said that the European Union leaders may discuss the possibility of Ukrainian membership at an informal summit in March.
However, becoming a member of the EU is a complex and a time-consuming process. Croatia was the last country to join the bloc and its application process lasted 10 years before it was formally accepted in 2013.
THE USUAL PROCEDURE
The applicant country must meet the ‘Copenhagen criteria’, which are a set of conditions a country must fulfill to join the bloc. These include a free-market economy, a stable democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the implementation of all EU rules and regulations in all areas, including the euro.
The membership also needs the acceptance of all the EU member states as well as the EU institutions such as the European Council, European Commission, and the European Parliament.
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Following this, if the Commission agrees that the applicant country meets the ‘Copenhagen criteria’, the European Council then agrees upon a negotiating mandate. Negotiations are then formally opened on a subject-by-subject basis.
LONG TERM GOALS
Ukraine has an association agreement with the 27-nation bloc but has long expressed its desire to join the EU. The bloc had previously shied away from membership discussions so as to not to “antagonise” Moscow. However, this stance has taken a backseat ever since Russia declared war on Ukraine.
WHAT DOES UKRAINE’S EU MEMBERSHIP MEAN FOR RUSSIA?
Ukraine’s entry into the bloc is important for their forthcoming discussions with Russia on ending the conflict. Its membership can help Ukraine militarily, as EU members are bound by a mutual defense clause that requires other members to help a country if it’s “a victim of armed aggression on its territory”.
Moreover, admission to the bloc would also benefit Ukraine’s economy and give it additional benefits such as free movement throughout the EU and a variety of rights granted to EU citizens.
However, the road ahead is not easy as the membership takes time. The bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said the immediate priority, in view of Russia’s war on Ukrainewhich was to provide practical support to the country to counter the Russian invasion, rather than discussing long-term issues that could take years.
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