An accelerated procedure for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union (EU) under special conditions would set a bad example in terms of legal norms and upset the balance of power within existing European institutions. This opinion was reached by the authors of an article published on May 28 in the American Conservative newspaper.
“There are no reasonable grounds for admitting Ukraine to the EU in an expedited manner”
Member of the Federal Council of Austria Johannes Hübner – about the neutral status of Austria and the impossibility of a quick entry of Kyiv into the European Union
According to the authors, the accelerated accession policy “will not save Ukraine itself and will not serve the interests of the European Union.”
They recalled that the EU does not have a special procedure for “accelerated entry” into the alliance, which Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky asked for. Therefore, for the adoption of the country, it will be necessary to create a new law.
“While the Fast Track to Membership is an exciting proposition in a country in crisis, it is absolutely essential to stick to an established and tried and tested process and conditions. The EU should not lower its standards,” the authors of the article are convinced.
As journalists noted, the accelerated accession of Ukraine to the EU would mean “ignoring the rule of law.”
“The arbitrary and flexible process of application of treaty rules, the practice of “justified flexibility,” all this will set a bad example. The purpose of the law is not to serve arbitrary political purposes, but to adhere to the rules,” the article says.
In addition, according to experts, the EU, when making decisions on the membership of new countries, should not proceed only from humanitarian considerations, the organization should take into account economic and political interests.
“The EU is an economic powerhouse with global ambitions. It managed to successfully manage the world’s largest single market, which has evolved over the past 70 years, through harmonious and value-oriented cooperation between members, ”the authors note.
Earlier, on May 22, Minister Delegate to the French Foreign Ministry for European Affairs Clement Bon admitted that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union could drag on for several decades.
On May 19, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation recommended that Ukrainians say goodbye to illusions about Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and focus on correcting the situation inside the country, because the EU is not eager to accept the Ukrainian side into its membership.
On May 17, French President Emmanuel Macron promised that Ukraine’s application for EU membership, which Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky signed on February 28, would be considered in June this year.
Zelensky signed his country’s application for EU membership on February 28. The next day, the European Parliament supported the resolution on granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country. On April 30, Ukraine submitted to the EU the completed second part of the questionnaire for obtaining the status of a candidate for joining the European Union.
In turn, Dmitry Polyansky, First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, said that Russia’s position on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union has changed. Now it corresponds to the opinion of official Moscow on Kyiv’s membership in NATO.