Ukraine expects that in 2022 the European Union will begin a review of the neighborhood policy, which will apply to all Eastern European countries aspiring to join the EU. This was stated at an online discussion of the Kyiv Security Forum by Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishina.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – May 15, 2021 – Diplomatic Affairs
“At this stage, we have achieved a lot in using the potential of the existing formats of our relations and are paving the way for a new strategic approach. We expect that in 2022 the European Union will begin a review of the neighborhood policy, and this review will apply to all Eastern European countries – which will develop a specific new format for Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova – countries seeking membership. And we expect that by 2027 when Lithuania takes over the presidency of the EU Council, it will be possible to reach concrete political decisions, ”Stefaniszyna said.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Ukraine positively assesses the current state of relations with the European Union.
“At the same time, we believe that it is time to start reviewing the neighborhood policy. We hope that this work will begin in 2022, and I know that many people in European capitals are ready to join this work, and Ukraine will be able to gain the prospect of membership, “she added.
Ukraine began collecting signatures in support of Ukraine’s accession to the EU from its foreign partners in March. Then Lithuania officially undertook to support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union – the presidents of Ukraine and Lithuania Volodymyr Zelensky and Gitanas Nausea during the latter’s visit to Kyiv signed a joint declaration in support of Ukraine’s European perspective.
In May, Zelensky signed a declaration of a European perspective for Ukraine with Polish President Andrzej Duda.
Also in May, Latvia became the third EU member state to sign a joint declaration on Ukraine’s European perspective.
According to observers, this approach – collecting signatures – is a new tactic for Kyiv to move closer to the EU. This was confirmed by the President’s Office. Igor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the OP, who is called the President’s Adviser on Foreign Policy, called the conclusion of the Declaration on Ukraine’s European Perspective an important step towards realizing the strategic goal of our state. Zhovkva noted that the declaration recognizes, in particular, Ukraine’s right to apply for EU membership in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union.
At the same time, experts call this approach very ambitious and ask how many countries in the bloc are ready to express their support for Ukraine’s European integration aspirations. By the way, even when Ukraine was on the way to signing the Association Agreement with the EU, the Netherlands resisted, where they even held a referendum on this issue.
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Source: Ukrgate