Germany, the Netherlands and other countries want the European Commission to give an opinion on Ukraine’s readiness for accession before making a policy decision, according to diplomats, speaking from private talks ahead of a summit in France this week. These countries want to focus on ending the war and providing practical support to Ukraine, rather than starting a process that could take at least a decade, one of the diplomats said.
Countries supporting the proposal argue that even if the accession process is lengthy and complicated, it is symbolically important for EU leaders to back Ukraine’s bid.