The Prime Minister of Portugal fears that the debate on the status of Ukraine in the EU could jeopardize the unity
Antonio Costa ,
KYIV. UkraineGate , 14 , June , 2022 | Political News.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa warned that the debate over granting Ukraine candidate status could jeopardize unity and create “false expectations” .
Quote
“The best support that the European Union can give to Ukraine is to preserve unity. The best we can offer is European unity,” said Antonio Costa.
Details
According to the Prime Minister of Portugal, the EU should focus on providing immediate assistance to Ukraine, and not on the “legal debate” on whether to nominate a country as a candidate for membership.
Kosta said that the candidate status – the beginning of the accession process, which will take many years – will not solve Ukraine’s urgent problems and may give rise to “false expectations.” He feared that the EU would only demonstrate its differences on the issue by presenting a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin, writes FT.
“I focus on getting a clear commitment to urgent support at the next European Council and building a long-term platform to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. This is my top priority. The most important thing is not the legal debate on Ukraine, but practical delivery,” Costa said. .
According to the FT, Costa supported Ukraine’s “European perspective” and did not directly oppose the candidate status, saying he was waiting for the European Commission’s assessment this week. But he said that “it is necessary to respond to the emergency situation in which Ukraine and the Ukrainian people now live.” According to him, even if Ukraine is granted candidate status, “the real problems still have to be solved.”
“For such clear and immediate support, we do not need to start negotiations or a procedure that will take many years,” (French President Emmanuel) Macron said of the decade, not the decade, “but certainly of a long time. There is a great risk. false expectations that will turn into bitter disappointment. Less legal debate, more practical decisions, “he said.
Costa also said that Macron’s idea last month of the European political community, a freer association for countries that do not want membership or do not meet the full membership criteria, “could be a good idea to solve many problems.”
Addition
During a visit to Kyiv this weekend, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Commission would be ready to complete its assessment of whether to recommend Ukraine for EU membership “by the end of next week”.
Source: Ukrgate
