Heavily affected by the war, Ukraine and neighboring Moldova are now officially negotiating to join the European Union, BTA reported, referring to a publication of the European Newsroom – a platform for cooperation between 23 European news agencies.
The two countries received the status of candidates for EU membership in 2022. The landmark move was hailed as historic and is the start of a complex process that could take years.
On June 25, the European Union officially opened negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to join the bloc, and a large number of officials hailed the move as a landmark moment in the history of European integration.
Over the past two years, Kyiv and Chisinau have made rapid progress on structural reforms required for EU membership. In December, the heads of government of EU countries said that negotiations could begin if the two former Soviet republics fulfilled some additional domestic political tasks.
The signal start to the talks is a signal of confidence in Kiev's future at a time when Moscow has gained momentum on the battlefield almost two and a half years after its invasion began.
"This is a truly historic moment for my country," said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanyshina. She emphasized that the start of negotiations gives Ukrainians "moral strength to continue to oppose" of Russia.
Presidential elections will be held in Moldova in October. The country's pro-Western authorities often accuse the Kremlin of meddling in its internal affairs, and Russia has also deployed troops in the separatist region of Transnistria. While acknowledging and praising the progress made by the two countries, some officials pointed out that the start of the talks was a symbolic move. The process itself is likely to take years and may never culminate in membership.
"The road ahead will be difficult," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European Council President Charles Michel pointed out that Ukraine and Moldova will have to continue to carry out "substantial reforms" to comply with the 33 chapters that guide the accession process.
"This is the official start of a very complex and long process," said the Czech Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvořák, recalling that his country negotiated with Brussels for 15 years before becoming a full member of the European Union .
Russia's war in Ukraine has given new impetus to the EU's drive to admit new member states, after years of accession countries' progress had visibly slowed, particularly in the Western Balkans.
In December 2023, the EU also granted candidate status to the former Soviet republic of Georgia. In March, the bloc approved the conditional opening of accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina and is in talks with Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia.
What happens after negotiations officially begin?
Opening negotiations is just the beginning. The accession process now begins with a review of how far Ukraine and Moldova have come in terms of their legislation and an assessment of what reforms in their democratic, financial, economic, judicial and social systems are still needed to bring them into line with EU requirements.
This analysis will take months. Then, step by step, different "chapters" will be opened in order to gradually fully cover the EU requirements.
For Ukraine, this process is accompanied by political obstacles. Not only Russia will stand in its way with its destabilization attempts, but also reserved and skeptical EU member states – especially Hungary, which on July 1 will take over the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. Budapest opposes speeding up Kyiv's accession process, arguing that Ukraine is progressing along its path unfairly and for political reasons.
"From what I see here as we speak, they are very far from fulfilling the accession criteria," Hungarian European Affairs Minister János Boca said on Tuesday.
The start of accession negotiations became possible after Budapest lifted its veto on the process, which could only proceed with the unanimity of all member states. Hungary has asked Ukraine to respect the rights of the Hungarian minority in the country and, after intensive discussions, this has already been noted in the EU's framework document for the negotiations.
The admission of Ukraine, which has a population of around 40 million people, would be a major step for the EU and there are calls for the bloc to carry out reforms to streamline its work before accepting new members. It is currently considered impossible for Ukraine to become a member of the EU before the end of the Russian war. If Ukraine formally joins, Kiev will be able to request military assistance under Article 42(7) of the EU Treaty and the bloc will become a party to the war.
The talks are taking place at a tense time in Moldova after the US, Britain and Canada warned of a Russian "plot" to influence the country's October presidential election. President Maia Sandu accused Moscow, which has deployed troops in the separatist region of Transnistria, of seeking to destabilize Moldova ahead of the vote.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Labib said that relations between the EU and Moldova are already yielding results. The European Union is Moldova's largest trading partner, which in turn offers important opportunities for business and foreign investment.
Montenegro is moving forward after seven years of virtual stagnation
In addition to the start of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, the sixteenth meeting of the Accession Conference of Montenegro took place this week to review the progress made by Podgorica. This included an assessment of progress in meeting the interim benchmarks in relation to the rule of law chapters.
European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Policy Oliver Varhey said that Montenegro has "met the intermediate criteria in the area of the rule of law" and can now proceed to "closing the chapters".
The Balkan country gained candidate status in 2010, and accession negotiations began in 2012.
Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said a "historic moment" had arrived, but also admitted his country "had a long period of stagnation". He also stated that in the last seven months, Montenegro has achieved results comparable to those achieved in the last seven years, and expressed hope that by 2028 it will become a full member of the EU.
Republic of North Macedonia: The new government has angered Greece and Bulgaria
The newly elected North Macedonian government has fueled the fire that was thought to have been extinguished by calling the country by its old name "Macedonia", which not only angers Athens but also worries Brussels.
The country changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia after reaching a UN-brokered agreement with Greece in 2018. Greece did not accept the old name of its neighbor, as its northern province is called Macedonia. Although the name change paved the way for the Republic of North Macedonia to join NATO, its application for EU membership has yet to be accepted nearly twenty years after receiving candidate status back in 2005.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski recently stated: "I will call myself whatever I want". While taking the oath, the country's new president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, also demonstratively used the country's old name, causing a diplomatic uproar. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament on Wednesday that the new government in Skopje "has not made a good start" and violated the obligations under the international agreements related to the aspiration of the Republic of North Macedonia to join the EU. All EU member states must agree to the extension.
Already in the first week after taking office as Prime Minister, Mickoski once again caused tension in relations with the eastern neighbor of the Republic of North Macedonia - Bulgaria, by stating that the negotiating framework for the country's accession to the European Union could be changed. "You want changes to the Constitution? Why? Who is violating the rights of the Bulgarian community in [Northern] Macedonia?" Mitskoski asked on June 25 on the occasion of the clause for the recognition of Bulgarians as one of the nations included in the basic law of the country.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev stated that Mickoski's rhetoric was directed directly against European principles and decisions taken by consensus by all member states, against international commitments, "but above all against his own citizens, who clearly stated their ambitions for European development of the country".
The nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE won the parliamentary elections in the Republic of North Macedonia in May and formed a new government together with smaller parties at the end of June.