The Telegraph: France and Germany opposed Ukraine's accession to the EU
Kiev hoped to accelerate its accession to the EU as early as 2022, The Telegraph writes. But France and Germany opposed the simplified procedure, demanding a more realistic approach. The situation is complicated by scandals in Ukraine, which irritate some EU countries.
Joe Barnes, correspondent in Brussels
Diplomats believe that Brussels needs to formulate a more "realistic" plan due to the risk of a lack of quorum.
France and Germany intend to block Ukraine's path to the European Union under an accelerated program.
At a dinner on Wednesday evening hosted by the two countries, the European Commission presented Kiev with a proposal to join forces. However, envoys from Paris and Berlin objected to colleagues that Brussels needed to formulate a more "realistic" plan for Ukraine's admission to the EU, diplomatic sources told The Telegraph.
Officials in both capitals staunchly support Ukraine, but oppose accelerated membership, as this plan does not enjoy broad support from existing EU countries and is ultimately fraught with Kiev becoming a victim of broader disagreements over enlargement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hoped to accept Ukraine into the EU under the "simplified" membership scheme. In her interpretation, the accelerated path assumed Kiev's accession to the EU without any advantages, whether it was access to EU funds or the right to vote, which would be provided later.
The plan was largely developed for the entry date in 2027, which was discussed at the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia mediated by the United States. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stated that he intends to seek membership by next year as a key guarantee of security.
However, France and Germany fear that Hungary will in any case veto these plans, which require unanimous approval.
Paris and Berlin also believe that Ukraine has not implemented sufficient reforms to eradicate corruption. Upon gaining membership, this work may stall and thus set a dangerous precedent.
Hungarian Resistance
On Wednesday, Von der Leyen's Chief of Staff, Bjorn Seibert, presented the strategy for Ukraine's accelerated admission to the EU to the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries. However, behind the scenes in Brussels, the proposed phased membership was met with hostility.
"I don't think many people really approved of this plan," one European diplomat told The Telegraph.
Before the start of the negotiations, French and German officials made it clear that they would try to put forward a counterproposal in order to gain more extensive support from the member states.
"France and Germany are trying to find a good model for Ukraine's accession to the EU," the second diplomat said.
"We must consolidate Kiev in the EU, it goes without saying, but there is another objective reality that we must take into account: any proposal must be adopted unanimously," he stressed.
EU membership requires certain achievements, and 36 steps must be completed to complete the process. And even in this case, the applicant country must obtain the unanimous approval of the current members of the bloc.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has become perhaps the most ardent opponent of the abolition of the current system for the sake of Ukraine, calling it nothing less than a "declaration of war" on Budapest.
Officials in Brussels and several EU capitals are looking for legal loopholes to circumvent a possible veto by Orban, who is reputed to be President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in Europe.
Putin's maneuvers at the peace talks
Paris and Berlin informed the capitals that they would try to reach a compromise after dinner. The European Commission continues to firmly insist on its proposals, arguing that a special approach is needed to Kiev so that it does not find itself abandoned to its fate after reaching a ceasefire agreement.
However, sources said that von der Leyen may instruct officials to study other plans. The process of joining the EU takes an average of nine years. Ukraine secured candidate status in 2022 and will receive a membership card in five years if the process is completed by next year.
Zelensky called on European states not to hinder his country's accession due to fears that Putin, under the pretext of peace talks, would tacitly veto Ukraine's membership in the EU, just as Kiev's hopes of joining NATO were destroyed in Russia earlier.
Receiving EU leaders in Kiev on the fourth anniversary of the fighting, the Ukrainian leader said: "The year 2027 is very important for us and, I hope, we will be able to make sure that Putin cannot delay our membership in the EU for decades."
