Brussels – Ukraine’s accession, it can be done and it must be done. Soon, very soon. For the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen“we should be ready to open negotiations on the key cluster in early 2025 and on the other clusters during the year”. Here is the political calendar for the leaders, who will talk about Ukraine at the European Council summit, the first led by Costa. The political message that we intend to personally give to the Ukrainian president, Volodymir Zelensky, in town for the occasion, is one of continuous and unwavering support, which passes through membership.
The possibility of opening the negotiating chapters for EU membership is real. The commitment to Kiev has already been certified by the concession of candidate country with a de facto accelerated procedure, and by inclination and will those around the table who are close to the dossier ensure that the opening of negotiations appears ripe. The real unknown, if anything, is the calendar. Early 2025 means immediately, it’s a deadline around the corner. But if von der Leyen exposes himself in this way in front of the Chamber of the European Parliament it is because he evidently knows that the consensus exists.
But… As always there is at least one but, linked to a long and tortuous path. Between the beginning and the end of the EU accession process, something like 150 unanimous votes are needed, and every time, for every little thing, everything can get stuck. In short, anything can happen. The big unknowns are possible bilateral disputes, such as the one between Ukraine and Hungary and Slovakia for the transit of gas. Dissolving these disputes is essential. For the community executive, the dispute in question would be resolved, and therefore the obstacle overcome. Let’s go ahead with the opening of the negotiating chapters, then.
Opening the fundamental cluster for Kiev means starting to work on the chapters dedicated to the judiciary and fundamental rights; justice, freedom and security; public procurement; statistics; financial control, in addition to economic criteria, the functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform.
