EU cannot give Ukraine date for accession talks – spokesman — RT World News

Brussels granted Ukraine EU candidate status in June 2022, and in December last year, EU leaders agreed to open accession talks. The next step requires EU officials to draft a negotiating framework, which includes guidelines and basic principles for accession talks.

According to Mamer, while the committee intends to propose the framework in the coming weeks, it is unclear how long it will take to approve it.

“It is necessary to distinguish between the Commission’s presentation of the negotiating framework to the Council… and its adoption by the Council. This is a question that we, the European Commission, cannot, of course, answer. However, we are working to achieve this quickly.” Mamer said, according to what was reported by RIA Novosti.

Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was unlikely to formulate a negotiating framework on Kiev before the EU parliamentary elections in June this year. Speaking at a press conference on February 22, von der Leyen said her agency was still working on the document, noting that “Different negotiating positions” It will take time to review. However, during a trip to Kiev three days later, she said the committee would submit the paper in mid-March.

However, Ukraine's actual accession to the bloc may still be some way off, because once the document is adopted by the EU Council, it will then have to be reviewed by all 27 member states, which will have the final say in starting the formal negotiating process. .

Kiev urges Brussels to speed up the accession process. According to Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanyshina, Ukraine expects the negotiating framework to be ready by mid-March.

“No later than March 12, we expect the European Commission to present a framework for negotiating and assessing progress on reforms so that EU countries can take a decision on March 19. We hope there will be no delays.” Stefanyshina told reporters on Monday, Ukrinform news agency reported.

Some EU member states question Ukraine's application to join the European Union. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was a strong critic of this move from the beginning, warning that it would be disastrous for the agricultural sector in the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron said in December that the European Union was “so far” of allowing Ukraine to join the bloc.