Ukraine’s accession to EU could take years, says EU commissioner
Ukraine's accession to the EU will take a year or two (Photo:Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine)
Ukraine’s accession to the European Union could take years, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement from Hungary Olivér Várhelyi told German news outlet Welt am Sonntag on Nov. 6.
Earlier Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine plans to fulfilall seven conditions of the European Commission for granting candidate status by late 2022 and to proceed to the negotiation process regarding EU membership.
Várhelyi said the process would take longer, however.
“Given the large amount of work required to prepare for participation in the EU’s internal market and many other important policy areas, preparations for accession will most likely take more than a year or two,” he said.
Várhelyi noted that in order to join the EU, Ukraine must complete all seven reforms that were put forward as conditions for Kyiv when approving the status of a candidate for EU accession.
“Ukraine seeks to speed up reforms and the work necessary for this. This is positive,” he said.
“But not all seven reforms can be completed quickly.”
According to Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine expects to become an EU member within five years.
EU leaders supported granting EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova at an EU summit in Brussels on June 23.
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