The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmigal has announced that Kyiv is preparing to apply for membership in the European Union. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky applied to the EU with a request to join the organization immediately.
It is not ruled out that EU leaders will discuss Ukraine's membership in talks with Russia to use it as a trump card. This was reported by Reuters, citing a high-ranking official.
European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris on Monday evening. It is assumed that this issue will be raised during the discussions.
At the same time, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell stated that the current agenda of EU leaders does not include the issue of Ukraine's accession to the union. And German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock believes that although Ukraine is part of the European house, the country's entry into the EU cannot take place in a few months.
The head of the European Commission also said that any official issue of membership should be sent to the European Council, where there will be long debates. France chairs the council.
These developments are closely followed by Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Montenegro, which have long been candidates for EU membership. Bosnia, Kosovo and Moldova are looking forward to their turn. According to the rules of EU enlargement, Ukraine should be at the end of the line.
