The European Union is gearing up to open negotiations with Ukraine on its future accession to the bloc with a formal announcement expected as soon as December.
According to three diplomats with knowledge of the plans, leaders are preparing to give Kyiv the green light to begin formal talks on joining the 27-country bloc before the end of the year.
Ukraine is at the heart of a major new push to expand the EU to as many as 35 countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her annual address to Parliament last month that Ukraine’s future was “in the Union.”
EU countries granted Kyiv status as a candidate for EU membership in June, and the Commission is due to issue a “progress report” on how well Ukraine and other aspiring members are meeting the bloc’s conditions for joining in November, according to an EU official who spoke to journalists on Tuesday.
Two words: Mining concessions. Even creates jobs for Russians. Other countries then can guarantee loans against future profits from those. That’s going to be very hard for any future Russian government to disagree with if it’s the condition for lifting sanctions because if there’s one thing Russia has then that’s abundant natural resources. Would also do Russia good to not be able to earn that much foreign currency with resource exports for a change, giving an impulse to develop internally.
As to corruption, well, EPPO. There’s already quite extensive working arrangements in place, as it stands I absolutely expect Ukraine to join EPPO (which would mean they can prosecute in Ukraine). It may not be an official requirement to join but that doesn’t mean that it’s not mandatory.