The European Union leaders granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status for EU membership during a European Council meeting in Brussels on June 23, 2022. The EU leaders had gathered in Brussels to formally grant Ukraine candidate status to join the European Union just as Russian forces continue to advance in Eastern Ukraine.
Today is a good day for Europe.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 23, 2022
Congratulations to President @ZelenskyyUA President @Sandumaiamd and Prime Minister @GharibashviliGe
Your countries are part of our European family.
And today’s historic decision by Leaders confirms that. pic.twitter.com/lAkv8Bq5fs
Ukraine had earlier demanded that its EU candidacy status should be pushed forwad after Russia invaded the nation on February 24. The European Commission had earlier recommended EU candidate status for both Ukraine and Moldova. The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had said in a statement after a visit to Kyiv that "Ukrainians 'ready to die' to deepen their ties to the European Union."
The European Union's most powerful leaders - French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis had visited Kyiv on June 16 and embraced Ukraine's bid to be accepted as a candidate for EU membership, in a strong symbol of support in Kyiv's battle against Russian invasion.
VIDEO: 'Total consensus' in EU on making Ukraine candidate.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 22, 2022
EU ministers back granting war-torn Ukraine "candidate status" to join the bloc, ahead of a summit expected to formally greenlight the move later this week, France's Europe minister Clement Beaune says pic.twitter.com/YxkyFOwdnY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hails EU backing
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the European Union's (EU) decision to grant Ukraine candidate status to join the 27-member bloc. He called the decision a "historic moment" in bilateral ties.
Ukrainian President Zelensky had signed an official appeal to the European Union asking for the accession of Ukraine through a new special procedure just four days after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
After the EU leaders' decision, Zelensky wrote: "One of the most important decisions for Ukraine in all 30 years of independence of our state. However, this decision is not only for Ukraine. This is the biggest step on strengthening Europe that could be taken right now, right in our time, and exactly in such conditions when the Russian war tests our ability to preserve freedom and unity."
He thanked all European leaders and each and everyone who with weapons in their hands defends Ukraine's independence and the freedom of Europe."Thank you for making a new history of Europe possible, even stronger, even freer," he said.
He also thanked European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, adding that it was "a unique and historical moment" in Ukraine-EU ties and that "Ukraine's future is within the EU."
Sincerely commend EU leaders’ decision at #EUCO to grant 🇺🇦 a candidate status. It’s a unique and historical moment in 🇺🇦-🇪🇺 relations. Grateful to @CharlesMichel, @vonderleyen and EU leaders for support. Ukraine’s future is within the EU. #EmbraceUkraine https://t.co/o6dJVmTQrn
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 23, 2022
Nothing against Ukraine joining EU: Russia
While earlier Russia had said that the European Union is manipulating Ukraine with the possibility of membership, the Russian President Vladimir Putin was recently quoted saying that he has "nothing against" Ukraine joining EU.
When will Ukraine formally join EU?
It would take a long for Ukraine to formally obtain membership of the European Union. Being granted the candidate status is the first official step toward EU membership. As per observers, even with candidate status, it may take years, if not decades, for Ukraine to obtain EU membership.
The Western Balkan countries of Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia have been candidate countries for years or even decades. In fact, Bosnia and Herzegovina had applied for candidacy in 2016 but has still not officially joined the bloc.
How does a country join the European Union?
Joining the European Union involves a 3-step process-
1. First step is getting official candidate status for EU membership but this does not necessarily mean that the nation will join the EU.
2. After getting candidate status, formal membership negotiations begin. This process involves the adoption of established EU law and implementation of judicial, administrative, economic and other reforms that are deemed necessary for the country to meet the membership conditions. These conditions are known as accession criteria.
3. Following the completion of membership negotiations and accompanying reforms to the satisfaction of both sides, the country is allowed to become an EU member.
VIDEO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has found hero status in Europe for resisting the Russian invasion, says he is working to drum up support for EU membership.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 22, 2022
EU Ministers on Tuesday appeared united in granting candidate status to Ukraine as well as Moldova pic.twitter.com/PKa24j24U4
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