[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee, New York=Special Correspondent Jo Seul-gi] European Union (EU) member state leaders agreed on the 23rd (local time) to grant Ukraine the status of an EU candidate country.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, announced via Twitter that the leaders of the 27 member states decided on the status of EU candidate countries for Ukraine and Moldova at the summit held in Brussels, Belgium, on the same day. Ukraine officially requested EU membership on February 28, just four days after Russia's invasion, and was granted candidate status within four months.
Following Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which were part of the former Soviet Union, also applied for EU membership. EU leaders decided to classify Georgia as a potential candidate country.
President Michel emphasized that this is a "historic moment." He also congratulated Ukraine and Moldova, saying, "Today is a significant step on your path toward the EU." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, "A very special and historic moment," adding, "Ukraine's future lies with the EU."
Although Ukraine unusually quickly obtained candidate status, it is expected that it may take years or even decades to gain full membership. To join the EU, a country must go through the stages of application, obtaining official candidate status, conducting formal accession negotiations, and approval. Additionally, all 27 EU member governments must agree.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, welcomed the decision, saying, "This decision will make all of us, including the EU, stronger." However, she emphasized that Ukraine and Moldova have "a lot to do in areas such as the rule of law, oligarchy, anti-corruption, and fundamental rights" to ultimately become EU member states.
Earlier, on the 17th, the Commission officially stated that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted candidate status. At that time, the Commission also presented six criteria for membership, including expanding investigations and prosecutions related to anti-corruption, implementing laws to select qualified judges, and limiting the influence of oligarchic ruling groups.
President von der Leyen stated that formal negotiations would not begin until the reform conditions are implemented. Since the Commission plans to review the fulfillment of requirements by the end of this year, it is expected that negotiations between the EU and Ukraine will hardly start within the year.
In fact, several countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, and Bosnia, which applied for EU membership long ago, have yet to start accession discussions, let alone join. North Macedonia obtained candidate status at the end of 2005 but has not yet started accession negotiations.
North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in North Macedonia's EU accession. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama also showed a somewhat cynical reaction. Rama sarcastically said, "If I haven't miscalculated, North Macedonia has been an EU candidate for 17 years, and Albania for 8 years," adding, "Welcome to Ukraine, which is in the same situation." He advised Ukraine not to be deluded, as there is still a long way to go before EU membership.
Among EU member states, some countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Portugal are reportedly still negative about Ukraine's EU membership. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, attending the summit on the day, said he was somewhat worried that the Commission rushed to grant candidate status.
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