In the most dramatic geopolitical shift since Russia’s invasion, the European Union approved Ukraine and its neighbour Moldova as candidates for membership on Friday.
“Ukrainians are willing to die for the European perspective,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a news conference while dressed in Ukrainian garb: a yellow blazer over a blue blouse.
‘We want them to share the European dream with us.’
It was only the beginning of a lengthy process, but it puts Kyiv on track to achieve a goal that seemed out of reach just a few months ago.
Ukraine applied for EU membership just four days after Russian troops crossed its border in February. Four days later, Moldova and Georgia, both smaller ex-Soviet states dealing with separatist regions occupied by Russian troops, followed suit.
‘It’s the first step on the EU membership path that’ll certainly bring our victory closer,’ tweeted President Voldymyr Zelenskiy, thanking von der Leyen and EU members for the decision.
When President Vladimir Putin ordered his ‘special military operation’ to disarm and ‘denazify’ Ukraine, one of his main objectives was to halt the expansion of Western institutions which he called a threat to Russia.
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