Lithuanian President Nauseda. Photo: Flip through Nauseda’s Facebook (file photo)
The war in Ukraine has lasted for two weeks. The leaders of the 27 EU countries held a leaders’ meeting in Versailles outside Paris, France on the 10th. The leaders of many countries condemned Russia for causing “unspeakable pain” to Ukraine and also discussed allowing Ukraine to join the European Union. matter. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda revealed that EU leaders affirmed Ukraine’s European integration, saying: “The heroic Ukrainian nation deserves to know that they are welcome in the EU”.
After the EU leaders’ meeting, Nauseda tweeted: “After a historic night at Versailles, after five hours of intense discussions, EU leaders affirmed European integration in Ukraine, the process of It’s started, and it’s up to us and the Ukrainians to accelerate it now, and the brave Ukrainians deserve to know that the EU welcomes them.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, however, said: “Can we open the membership process for a country that is at war? I don’t think so. Can we close the door and say ‘never possible’? Unfair. Can we forget the balance of the region? We have to be careful.” The process of joining the EU usually takes years, and associate members meet strict criteria, including economic stability, eradication of corruption and respect for freedom human rights, etc.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently actively asked the EU to recognize Ukraine as a member state. On the 23rd of last month, in a joint statement with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Nauseda in Kyiv, he called for Ukraine to win the EU candidacy. and Poland and Lithuania will support Ukraine to achieve this goal; Zelensky also signed an application on the 28th of last month, formally applying to join the EU