The EU should not slow Ukraine down now.
(Photo: dpa)
It was only four months ago that western Ukraine predicted a bleak future as a Russian satellite state. When the war broke out, it hardly seemed realistic that the government would still control the vast majority of its territory in the summer and fight on an equal footing with the Russian army. The Ukrainians surprised everyone.
Now it’s about making the next surprise possible. At the moment, it hardly seems realistic that Ukraine will meet the requirements placed on new EU members in the next few years. But it’s not impossible. And that’s why it shouldn’t be the EU that is blocking this path.
As Ukrainians are currently fighting the external enemy, they will also have to fight internal threats to their future. They must oust the oligarchs, whose wealth still gives them far too much power over the state. They must prevent corruption and strengthen the rule of law.
This can take many years and there can be regression. But it can also happen quickly if the people are determined and motivated. And the Ukrainians can hardly be denied that.
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The EU should try to give Ukraine candidate status and not slow it down. At the same time, it is important not to repeat past mistakes. Actual admission to the EU must not be taken lightly.
>> Read here: Historic visit with vague announcements: This is how Olaf Scholz’ trip to Kyiv went
The real challenge for the EU now is to prepare itself for enlargement. Some rules are still the same as when it was founded, when only representatives from six countries sat around the table. That is why a single country can now block important decisions at will and blackmail the others. In the past it was often Great Britain, today it is often Hungary. The more EU members there are, the bigger the problem gets and the harder it gets to fix.
It would be wrong to stop the enlargement process because of this. Of course, Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia or Ukraine could eventually block decisions in the European Council. But even in the governments of the oldest EU states there were already populists who were driving others before them in Brussels. The fact remains: if a country is stable and really fulfills the conditions, it is also a win for the EU.
More: Eulogy for Kyiv: Von der Leyen is serious about joining Ukraine