Russia's attack on Ukraine has been a turning point in history, and EU countries will stand up to it together. The greater the external pressure, the stronger the EU joins forces, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was quoted as saying in the Bundestag speech, Deutsche Welle.
"We all share one goal - russia shouldn’t win this war, Ukraine is to win," Scholz said.
That is why, the chancellor said, Germany supports Ukraine and has agreed to help with heavy weapons. According to Scholz, the EU should prepare for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war and create a solidarity fund to help cover the billions of euros needed for reconstruction, as quoted by Reuters.
Scholz added that French President Emmanuel Macron was right when he said that Ukraine's accession to the EU was not a matter of months and years, so it was all the more important to focus on pragmatic, immediate support for the country.
Scholz stressed that Ukraine remains part of the "European family", but there is no fastest way to join the EU. At the same time, the Chancellor said he would be glad to see the Western Balkans in the EU. These include Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. For many years, these countries have been implementing reforms to join the EU.
Ukraine expects to receive the status of a candidate for EU membership this June. After that, we have to start the process of changes necessary for full membership. It can take years and decades.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine could not join the European Union immediately without going through all the necessary procedures. He stressed that "Ukraine is by no means trying to jump over someone's head and leave those who have been waiting for a long time behind. Giving Ukraine candidate status is Ukraine's accession to the Western Balkans, which is pending."
Serbia began the process of joining the EU in 2005 as part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. After gaining independence in September 2009, the country applied to join the EU. She received the status of a candidate member in 2012.
Montenegro received candidate status in 2010. Northern Macedonia has been a candidate since 2005, but the process has dragged on due to disputes with Greece, which has protested the use of Macedonia in its name.
Bosnia and Herzegovina applied to join in February 2016. In December, she received a questionnaire from the European Commission, which she returned in February 2018. Ukraine completed the questionnaire in a matter of weeks.
According to the plan, these and other countries of the Western Balkans should become members of the EU by 2025.