Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Zelensky Praises EU Commission Decision of Granting Ukraine EU Membership


Sat 18 Jun 2022 | 03:39 PM
Rana Atef

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the European Commission for supporting Ukraine to be part of the EU bloc, Radio Free Europe reported on Saturday.

The EU Commission recommended Ukraine and Moldova as EU candidates which is the earliest step for both countries to be granted the EU membership.

Zelensky said: “I commend the positive EU Commission conclusion on Ukraine’s candidate status. It’s the first step on the EU membership path that’ll certainly bring our victory closer.”

The recommendation was announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, and it will be discussed by leaders of the bloc at next week's summit next week in Brussels.

President Volodymyr Zelensky obtained support from the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and Romania on Thursday to grant Ukraine candidate status in the European Union, while also pressing them to provide more weaponry and impose tighter sanctions on Russia.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, Italy’s Mario Draghi, and Romania’s Klaus Iohannis declared Ukraine belonged in the “European family” during their first visit to the capital since Russia’s invasion on February 24.

Ukraine has urged the EU to provide a road to membership, but the EU’s 27-member bloc has expressed reservations. The meeting took place just one day before the European Commission is set to offer a recommendation on Ukraine’s candidacy for membership in the EU.

Following prior denials that he was soft on Russia, Macron stated that the West would not demand any concessions from Ukraine and that the parameters of any peace talks would be determined by Kyiv.