Will Ukraine soon be part of the EU? One of Zelenskyy’s four special envoys, who are promoting the country’s EU membership, is optimistic.
After two days of talks in Berlin, the special envoy of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the prospect of EU membership expressed confidence that his country will receive candidate status for the European Union.
If the EU Commission makes a corresponding recommendation in the coming week, he assumes that the 27 member states will agree at their summit meeting on June 23rd and 24th in Brussels, said the Minister for Regional Development, Oliksej Tschernyschow, the German press Agency. He then also expects approval from Germany. “As we understand it, they will not stand in the way if the report (of the EU Commission) is positive.”
Four special envoys campaign for accession prospects
Chernyshev is one of four special envoys of Zelenskyy who are currently campaigning in the EU member states for Ukraine’s accession prospects. On Tuesday and Wednesday in Berlin he met, among others, Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD), Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) and, in the absence of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), her Minister of State Tobias Lindner (Greens).
Chernyshev assumes that the EU Commission will issue its recommendation on Ukraine’s EU candidate status on June 15. “Maybe the decision isn’t quite made yet,” he said. But he was sure that the heads of state and government would follow the Commission’s decision. While other EU states have already spoken out clearly in favor of candidate status for Ukraine, the German government has so far been reluctant. It usually takes many years from candidate status to EU membership.
During his visit, Chernyshev also advocated speeding up the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine. “Every day is quite crucial,” he said. “And of course we want it to happen faster than it is currently.” The federal government has promised several shipments of heavy weapons, but none have arrived in Ukraine.
