Eu Agrees To Launch Membership Talks With Ukraine As War With Russia Drags On

BRUSSELS — European Union nations agreed Friday to unfastened rank talks pinch Ukraine adjacent week, officially launching nan process for nan war-torn state to yet subordinate nan world’s biggest trading bloc.

At a gathering successful Brussels, ambassadors from nan 27 EU nations decided to officially unfastened negotiations pinch Ukraine arsenic good arsenic pinch Moldova, which Russia has besides tried to resistance backmost into its orbit, connected Monday successful Luxembourg.

Ukraine sees EU rank arsenic an important “security guarantee” for a unchangeable early erstwhile warfare pinch Russia ends.

Its champion guarantee would beryllium NATO membership, but nan Trump management insists that cannot happen. Others reason it joining while fighting continues. Russia is powerfully against it, and has cited moves toward NATO rank arsenic a logic for launching its full-scale penetration successful 2022, though it has not objected to EU rank for Kyiv.

Countries hoping to subordinate nan EU must complete negotiations successful 35 argumentation areas, aliases chapters, ranging from agriculture to trade; this process tin return years.

An intergovernmental convention will beryllium held Monday to unfastened cardinal chapters — grouped together arsenic “clusters” — concerning nan values and principles connected which nan bloc was founded.

“This is simply a nickname of nan determination, courageousness and difficult activity shown by some countries successful advancing reforms, moreover successful nan look of immense challenges,” said EU Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen successful a statement.

They described nan move arsenic “a strategical choice” that strengthens “peace, information and prosperity crossed our continent.” It’s besides a “signal that nan EU’s connection of peace, stableness and opportunity is unmatchable,” they said.

Ukraine officially applied for EU accession little than a week aft Russia invaded successful February 2022. The EU committee has praised nan state for reforms it has been capable to push done successful wartime, though heavy concerns astir corruption and justness standards remain.

Last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged his EU partners to see offering “associate membership” to Ukraine and respire caller life into talks aimed astatine ending much than 4 years of warfare pinch Russia.

Other countries — France and nan Netherlands among them — person suggested work-arounds to bring Ukraine into nan fold much quickly but without nan authorities of afloat membership.

It each comes arsenic nan EU weighs whether to effort to motorboat its ain negotiations pinch Russian President Vladimir Putin while U.S. mediated talks are bogged down arsenic America’s attraction focuses connected nan Iran war.

Under Merz’s proposals, Ukraine would return portion successful EU meetings, but without voting rights, and would besides person non-voting “associate members” of nan bloc’s powerful executive branch, nan European Commission and nan European Parliament.

All 27 EU members must work together earlier each argumentation section tin beryllium opened, and past again for it to beryllium closed. Hungary, notably, has blocked nan opening of negotiations, but nan presence of a caller authorities successful Budapest has softened that stance.

Cook writes for The Associated Press.