Ukraine and Moldova to Launch EU Membership Talks Marking Significant Step towards Integration
Ukraine and Moldova are set to begin EU membership talks, signalling a major milestone towards European integration. Amidst ongoing conflicts and geopolitical shifts, both countries are gearing up for negotiations and reforms to align with EU standards.
Ukraine and Moldova are set to officially launch membership talks with the European Union on Tuesday. This development comes more than a decade after pro-European demonstrations took place in Kyiv, precipitated by the Euromaidan protests against then-president Viktor Yanukovych. The protests eventually led to Yanukovych fleeing to Russia, placing Ukraine on a pro-western trajectory.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, along with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will lead the country’s delegation at the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg. This move is seen as a pivotal moment for Ukraine, which has seen ongoing conflict since Russia’s invasion in 2022. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pointed out the significance of this step for Ukraine’s proximity to the EU.
Moldova, which applied for EU membership shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, will also initiate its own accession process. Both nations will be presented with a “negotiating framework” outlining necessary reforms and legislation to align with EU standards.
The timing of the talks precedes Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the EU, with substantive negotiations expected to start under Poland’s presidency beginning January 1, 2025. Ukraine aims for a dynamic accession process starting from 2025, with aspirations to join the EU by 2030, contingent on various reforms, including combatting corruption and judicial reforms.