The country has already applied for European Union membership and the executive branch’s opinion will be announced later this month.
“Ukraine’s entry into the European Union is not only in our strategic interests, but also a moral duty,” von der Leyen said at a forum in the Slovak capital, Bratislava.
“However, the speed of the accession process will depend on Ukraine and the support we want to give. Standards and conditions have to be followed, there will be no shortcuts,” said the President.
Ukraine is asking the EU for speed and recognition of candidate country status, a condition that includes Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.
But Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Tuesday that “almost every major EU country is opposed” to granting candidate country status, with the exception of Italy.
For the prime minister, including Ukraine in this group means “an important symbolic gesture” and “a message of support in the midst of the war”. The expectation is that the issue will be re-discussed by the heads of government and state at the next meeting of the European Council to be held on 23 and 24 June. (ANSA).
source: Noticias
