Ukraine: EU chief offers Kyiv fast track to membership

[herding cats]

Source: Deutsche Welle

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Kyiv on Friday presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with paperwork for his country to join the European Union.

Handing over a document at a joint press conference, she said: "This is where your path towards the European Union begins."

"We stand ready to support you in filling out this questionnaire," von der Leyen said, adding: "It will not be, as usual, a matter of years, but rather a matter of weeks" to complete this step.

The questionnaire, she explained, forms the basis of an opinion that gets passed on to the European Council.

Von der Leyen said she intended to, "present Ukraine's application to the [European] Council this summer."

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-eu-chief-offers-kyiv-fast-track-to-membership/a-61409635?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-rdf

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Less than a month ago Ukraine was told this would not be possible. It's good to see this happening now.

[canetoad]

1. Very good news

I hope membership of EU goes off without a hitch.

[GB_RN]

2. That's Damned Good News!

N/T

[James48]

3. What about NATO?

We need to get them in NATO as quickly as possible. The Russians will destroy Ukraine if we don’t give them NATO membership.

[ColinC]

8. EU membership opens up doors for other defense pact coalitions, I think.

Just being a part of the body will give them a lot of options.

[maxsolomon]

26. The prospect of NATO membership is what prompted Russia to invade.

NATO has a policy that prospective members cannot have ongoing territorial conflicts, though.

Hence you see the insurgency Putin organized in Donbas/Luhansk, and the seizing of Crimea.

It's also why Putin seized 2 areas in Georgia in 2008: South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

[James48]

27. Which is why we need to relook at the policy.

And change it.

People shouldn’t die simply because Putin decides he wants to grab land.

[Mr. Evil]

4. Glory to Ukraine!

Misery to Russia!

[Cha]

5. Yes, "Fast Track"! to make up for

Lost Time!

Mahalo, Cat.. this is Encouraging news!:

💙💛

[RKP5637]

6. WOW!!!!! This is such great and wonderful news!!!!!!!! n/t

[Native]

7. This fabulous news just made my day, Thank you for posting this!!!

[Native]

9. EU diplomats are going to remain in Kyiv too!

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will resume its diplomatic presence in Ukrainian capital Kyiv, after temporarily moving it to Poland after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the bloc said on Friday.

Matti Maasikas, head of the EU delegation in Ukraine, joined top EU officials visiting the country on Friday and will remain in Kyiv to reopen the delegation and assess conditions for staff to return, the bloc's diplomatic service said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eu-says-resuming-diplomatic-presence-in-kyiv/ar-AAW1cwg?ocid=EMMX&cvid=fdbc1fbea848457799aca8e8675aeace

[herding cats]

18. This is such a big step and also great news!

Thanks for sharing it!

[Duppers]

10. 🇺🇦 EXCELLENT news. 🇺🇦

Now, fast track them into NATO!! Despite all the problems with 'Russer" over doing that, it must be done.

[gademocrat7]

11. Great news!

🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

[onetexan]

12. This summer...i take it to mean June. Cant happen fast enough.

[BlueJac]

13. Awesome!

[TeamProg]

14. Awesome! Take that Pooooty !!!

[herding cats]

20. He's the reason this was made possible.

He's uniting Europe with his barbarianism in Ukraine. No doubt not what he envisioned in his evil minds eye.

[oldsoftie]

15. So glad to see this. It needs to be a worldwide effort so Putin can't say its the US against them.

And South American countries need to get on board too. There are far too many who are staying silent & waffling on sanctions.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

16. This is a wonderful!

Now we need to get them in NATO. They have proven themselves to be a strong fighting force. Vlad The Impotent needs gain the opposite of his intentions on every front for this horror.

[mwooldri]

17. EU membership carries its own "Article 5" type agreement.

Should Ukraine end up an EU member while Russia is actively at war.... does this mean EU boots on the ground? And would these be also NATO boots?

[Native]

19. The EU does not have a military. I believe it just means financial assistance.

[mwooldri]

22. My understanding is that it does mean military.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:mutual_defence#:~:text=This%20clause%20provides%20that%20if,binding%20on%20all%20EU%20countries.

Basically if one EU member is attacked (say the UK invaded France - unlikely but it has happened in the distant past!) then all other EU members have to help out France "by all means in their power". I suppose that leaves a whole lot of wiggle room for countries to help out in a non military way, but also allows for EU member nations to send in armed forces.

[Native]

23. They only have to act in solidarity if it's a terrorist attack or a natural/manmade disaster.

The EU does not carry a joint military defense component, and they respect a member nation's claim of neutrality. I wonder how this would play out if Russia is declared a terrorist state.

[TomWilm]

28. That pledge is as empty as the one from NATO

As you write, there is a "whole lot of wiggle room for countries to help out in a non military way". No country would enter a truly binding pledge - it was the US Senate, who made the same loop hole in the NATO treaty.

[Evolve Dammit]

21. This is a good step but there is not that kind of time. Three more months is a destroyed Ukraine.

[FakeNoose]

24. I wish they hadn't announced this

... now Pootie has a deadline. He's got 2 months of impunity, then the door slams shut.

[Eyeball_Kid]

33. I think that the announcement was a good message for Putin to hear.

Now he knows that he cannot take UKR. He cannot gobble it up and make it part of Russia. UKR and the EU have made their choice, and it's not hugs and kisses to Putin-- who is now a war criminal. If there could ever be further incentive to separate from the now-hated Russia, an invitation for UKR to join the EU can be that incentive.

[Martin68]

25. Gophorit!

[TomWilm]

29. Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe, except for Russia ...

... which is the reason this still is a very hard sell. Ukraine has had years to make legislation to make this better and weed out the power of the oligarchs, but has not moved an inch forward.

[flying_wahini]

30. We can't get the oligarchs out of the US with all the power we have here but

Ukraine is supposed to with all the shit thrown at them courtesy of Putin?

Not trying to argue but seems unreasonable.

[TomWilm]

31. Whatabout Mexico ...

US would never open their market for Mexico without a shit load of restrictions to prevent the corruption to spread - since Mexico is just as corrupt as Ukraine and Russia. Is the US willing to fully integrate Mexico into all trade and support systems - without limits? Because that is what you are asking the EU to do.

Actually the civil war in Ukraine started when the EU demanded, that Ukraine should close its trade with Russia. At that time Russia was the primary market for all the heavy factories to the East - but that kind of ancient products was of very little use for the EU. And the modernization has still not really happened either.

And no, it is not just Putin's fault. He is a big pain in the ass, but Ukraine is very much still an Eastern bloc country, with corruption and oligarchs - especially when you go East or outside the bigger cities.

When a country becomes member of the EU, it is without limits. They will be influenced by the existing norms of the EU, but will also influence the EU. And we already has huge problems with newer members like Hungary and Poland, which are basically ruled by TFG clones...

[Eyeball_Kid]

32. In our imperfect world, this is progress.

True, UKR is known for its corruption, but it has been leaning toward an EU way of life for a few years now. But it sorely needs a united effort to reconstruct its nation's infrastructure, and while the war is not over, it has a lot to give to the EU in the near future.

I wonder how it can be that the UK bought Putin's "Brexit" nonsense and split from the EU. I strongly suspect that the political elite are having increasingly cogent second thoughts about their move away from the EU. UKR's emerging entry into EU strengthens the economic alliance and has the potential of mutually benefiting all of Europe. The biggest loser is Russia. Putin did all he could to pull UKR into its sphere of influence. Then he decided to simply take it. But it's no longer the 20th century. It's no longer 2014. UKR has moved on, while Putin wants to relive the past glories of empire. And he's turned himself and his country into war criminals with the effort.