Negotiations have officially started between Ukraine and the European Union (EU) regarding Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. This day, referred to as a “historic day” for Ukraine and Europe, occurred as a result of Ukraine’s application for EU membership in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale attack on the country in February 2022.
Initially assigned candidate status as a potential EU member, the European Union gave Ukraine permission to start membership discussions in December. Despite several delays, the formal initiation of these negotiations finally took place in an EU-Ukraine Inter-governmental conference held in Luxembourg on Tuesday.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU for European integration, Olha Stefanishyna, is hopeful that Ukraine will be prepared to enter the EU within the next eight years. Speaking via video link during the conference, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reiterated the significance of the event, highlighting its symbol of hope and values to Ukrainians. Thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives fighting Russia for an independent Ukraine.
However, the EU outlined its expectation for Ukraine to meet certain criteria as part of the accession talks. Hadja Lahbib, Belgium’s foreign secretary and EU representative in these discussions, emphasised the complexity of Ukraine’s path to EU membership, as it involves a long and rigorous reform process. Key areas such as strengthening the rule of law and addressing corruption have been prioritised. New legislation related to lobbying and enhancing the number of staff in their national anti-corruption agency are amongst the improvements Ukraine has made to align with these needs.
The European Commission confirmed earlier in the month that Ukraine’s reforms were sufficient to open accession talks. However, concerns regarding the treatment of minorities had previously hindered the initiation of negotiations by the Hungarian government.
Statement by Oliver Varhelyi, the EU enlargement commissioner, indicated that the union is possibly poised to accept new members within the next half-decade. This, however, is contingent upon those countries meeting all required conditions.
Following the meeting, Ms. Stefanishyna voiced her positivity towards an earlier integration within the decade, should the decision rest with Ukraine. She expressed that no aspect of the accession protocol could be a greater hurdle compared to their ongoing conflict. In addition to this, official EU accession discussions were launched with Moldova at a different intergovernmental meeting on Tuesday. She questioned the implications of a more eastern, more Balkan-oriented EU for Ireland.