Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

Danish FM: Don't 'lower the bar' to help Ukraine join the EU

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 29 Jun 2023 15:20
  • 1 Shares
2 Min Read

Rasmussen says his country supported the EU membership for Ukraine but argues that "geopolitical circumstances" were not a justification for governance reforms.

  • x
  • Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen arrives for an EU summit at the Europa building in Brussels on October 18, 2018. (AP)
    Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen arrives for an EU summit at the Europa building in Brussels on October 18, 2018 (AP)

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen warned during an interview with the Financial Times that the European Union would be "importing instability" if its standards are eased to hasten the accession of Ukraine to the bloc. 

Rasmussen stated that his country supported the EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the western Balkans but argued that "geopolitical circumstances" were not a justification for governance reforms.

"If you don’t complete the reform process before you enter, then there could be a risk of slowing down afterwards. And we do not export stability, we risk importing instability. And that’s why it is so important to stress the need of fulfilling the [EU membership] criteria," he indicated.

Read next: Ukraine's accession into EU will be long and difficult: German FM

Related News

Denmark ready to suspend EU trade ties with 'Israel', sanction gov: FM

Denmark, US to hold first high-level meeting since Trump inauguration

Rasmussen claimed that Denmark was open to internal EU reform, which includes more majority voting, to accommodate new member states.

He claimed that he does "not intend to comment on specific countries," but said it was "much easier to complete reforms when you are heading towards a membership than it is if you have already joined."

On the matter of Ukraine, he said that if there were to be any "special treatment", it should be in the form of extra help with full engagement of EU governments to help it meet the standards. The flaw in the past process is that it was too bureaucratic, he pointed out.

"We want to invest and we want to assist and we want to be as positive and help some as possible, but we can’t lower the bar."

Ukraine applied for EU membership on February 28, shortly after Russia launched its military operation. It was followed by Georgia and Moldova, which decided to fast-track the submission of their applications and similarly received the EU questionnaire in mid-April. 
 
During the EU delegation's visit to Kiev on April 8, European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen handed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a questionnaire to begin Ukraine's accession process.

Von der Leyen emphasized that this questionnaire would lay the groundwork for further discussion on the country's membership.

  • Lars Lokke Rasmussen
  • Russia
  • Denmark
  • EU
  • Kiev
  • Ukraine
  • European Union
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS