2023-11-04 08:52:43
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited kyiv where she was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen arrived in kyiv on Saturday morning to discuss EU enlargement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyshe announced on the social network as a modern and prosperous democracy,” she said upon her arrival at Kiev station where she was welcomed by Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Commission is due to deliver its report on the state of progress made by Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on November 8and decide on whether or not to open accession negotiations, before the Twenty-Seven take up the issue at a summit in Brussels in mid-December.
“The most important message is to reaffirm that we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
During this sixth visit by Ursula von der Leyen to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the leader also intends to address “military support” from the Europeans, as well as “the twelfth package of sanctions” from the EU once morest Russiacurrently being prepared, she told journalists, including members of the “European Newsroom” which brings together European press agencies.
“The most important message is to reaffirm that we will stand alongside Ukraine as long as necessary,” she insisted, while Kiev is worried regarding seeing Western support crumble in due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“It’s true that the world’s attention is now more focused” on the Middle East, she acknowledged. “But I had planned this trip (to kyiv) for a long timethis is the traditional type of trip before presenting a report on EU enlargement,” she continued.
Several conditions to meet
In June 2022, the EU granted candidate status to Ukraine, in a highly symbolic gesture a few months following the start of the Russian invasion, as well as to Moldova. To move on to the next stage, therefore the opening of accession negotiations, Commission sets seven benchmarks for kyiv. These are conditions to be met, particularly in terms of the fight once morest widespread corruption and judicial reforms.
“We have made a lot of reforms and we have passed the necessary laws.”
“We are optimistic. We have made a lot of reforms and we have adopted the necessary laws to respond to the recommendations” made by Brussels, assured Thursday the head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kouleba.
Ursula von der Leyen herself judged in September that Ukraine had made “great progress” in this direction. This question must be considered “from the angle of European security”, Volodymyr Zelensky for his part pleaded with the leaders of the Twenty-Seven meeting at a summit at the end of October.
At the same time, EU plans long-term aid package to support Ukraine of 50 billion euros, with 33 billion euros in loans and 17 billion euros in grants, even if the revision of the European budget to finance it causes strong divisions between member states. The Twenty-Seven are also studying a new series of sanctions once morest Moscow, which should include Russian diamond exports once the G7 has agreed on a means of tracking them.
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