Granting Ukraine the status of a European Union member state candidate status would be a geopolitical signal that the countries of this region have the right to determine their own fate, lsm.lv cites what Executive Vice President of the European Commission on Economy and Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said in an interview to LTV programme Rīta Panorāma.
Dombrovskis said granting candidate status for the path to joining the EU will be part of political solidarity against Russian aggression.
«It is a geopolitical response to show that countries like Ukraine, Moldova or Georgia have the right to dictate their fate,
pick their geopolitical course and that these countries are no longer in the zone of Russian influence,» the politician said.
EC representative also mentioned the financial support that will be provided to Ukraine: EUR1.2 billion macro-financing aid programme was finished recently and a new EUR 9 billion package of aid is already in the works.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced this will be a historical week for the country because EU leaders will decide on granting Ukraine candidate status, which was recommended by the European Commission last week. Zelenskyy also predicts Russia will intensify the offensive in Ukraine this week.
BNN previously reported that on Friday, 17 June, the European Commission decided to recommend providing EU candidate state status to Ukraine and Moldova, as confirmed by EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
Ukraine and Moldova submitted their applications shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February.
«Yes, Ukraine should be welcomed as a candidate country—this is based on the understanding that good work has been done but important work also remains to be done,» EC president said.
«We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us for the European dream,» she stressed.
Now 27 EU member states have to greenlight granting Ukraine candidate status. EU leaders will discuss this during this week’s summit in Brussels.
It is expected, however, that even if this status is granted, Ukraine’s and Moldova’s path to joining the EU will be rather long.