Ukraine will have to take all necessary steps before it can join the EU, but it would be wrong for the bloc to close the door on the country, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Kro said on the second day of European leaders’ meetings in Versailles.
“The EU accession process requires a lot of reforms and it makes sense to go step by step, otherwise we will have countries that will join the EU without being ready,” he added.
“But on the other hand, it would be a big mistake to close the door on countries like Ukraine, which feel threatened. “We must continue to work intensively with them.”
“We could invite them to the meetings, without having the right to make decisions (…) the European Commission is working to find creative ways in this direction. However, in order to become a member, one must respect the process “, he stressed
The reaction of Slovenian Prime Minister Janes Jansa was similar, who said that the vast majority of European leaders support the proposal to send a strong message to Ukraine that at some point it will join the EU.
“Not tomorrow, of course, tomorrow they can get candidate status,” he commented.
However, Lithuanian President Gitana Nauseda said that European leaders should grant Ukraine candidate status during this summit, and expressed his disappointment that their joint statement did not go that far.
“I would like Ukraine to receive candidate status (…) now, but that was not possible today, but we will return to this issue,” Nausenta said.
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