Kraev explained EU candidate status/Channel 24 Collage
The European Union proposed a plan to restore Ukraine in exchange for reforms. This is part of our candidacy process.
But the candidate does not just mean that Ukraine is waiting for the decision of the EU. Oleksandr Kraev, expert of the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council, told Channel 24 about this.
Ukraine should become part of the European family
According to him, the corresponding status shows that Ukraine is now:
- holding constant consultations with European colleagues;
- one way or another catching up with the Copenhagen criteria;
- leveling its justice, openness of its market, democratic power procedures.
Therefore, the European Union is trying to promote our state in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria with such encouragement.
Help. The Copenhagen criteria are the measure by which countries can join the European Union. They are divided into political, economic and membership ones.
Even if this is not openly said, we must understand that the EU has once again shown that it does not close the door to us.
Despite Hungary, various statements by other parties, Ukraine must be in the EU and Ukraine must prepare for this and bring its system to become part of the common European family, Kraev stressed.
Accession to the EU is a politicized issue
As the expert noted, very often joining the European Union is the most politicized issue. The best example is North Macedonia.
Oleksandr Kraev
Expert of the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council
< p> North Macedonia for decades did not join the organization because of the veto of Greece, which could not allow another country to be called the name of one of its regions. Against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, it is clear that the principle of consensus does not always work. Very often it can become an additional barrier to making the right decisions
The EU is working on a new mechanism
Therefore, according to Kraev, even if Hungary has certain objections, right now the EU is working on creating a new voting mechanism.
“Soon the position of Hungary will become very irrelevant to us (unnecessary – Channel 24),” the expert added.
Kraev spoke about Ukraine's path to the EU: watch the video
What is known about Ukraine's EU membership
- As reported by the Office of the President, Ukraine may receive the status of a candidate member of the EU as early as June 2022. This issue is one of the most important in the negotiations between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and world leaders.
- In order for our state to be finally accepted into the organization, we need a response from the European Commission. The path to membership may take 2-3 years.
- Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba believes that during the full-scale war, the EU proved to be an effective organization. At the same time, one cannot say the same about NATO.
