EU chief promises quicker process for Ukraine membership

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On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would be expedited.

Giving the Ukrainian President a questionnaire that forms a starting point for the membership decision, von der Leyen said, "It will not, as usual, be a matter of years to form this opinion but I think a matter of weeks." Zelensky has stated he would provide the response within a week.

Regarding Russia, she said, "Russia will descend into economic, financial and technological decay, while Ukraine is marching towards the European future, this is what I see."

In March, the leaders of eight European Union nations in Central and Eastern Europe backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for the EU to expedite Ukraine's membership.

During a briefing in Kiev, Zelensky had requested immediate membership into the Union as Russia began its special military mission in Ukraine. He appealed for membership in a "new special procedure," adding that "our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing. I’m sure it’s fair. I'm sure it’s possible."

The EU shot down his request, and his hopes of the EU helping Ukraine were dashed.

The European Commission stated that it can only negotiate with potential candidate countries if it has acquired a mandate from the EU's 27 member states, which Ukraine has not received.

On his part, the EU foreign policy leader Josep Borrell admitted last month that the West has made a number of blunders in its relations with Russia, including promising Ukraine membership in NATO.

"I am ready to admit that we have made a number of mistakes and that we have lost the opportunity of Russia's rapprochement with the West … There are moments that we could have done better, there are things that we proposed and then could not implement, such as the promise that Ukraine and Georgia would become part of NATO… I think it's a mistake to make promises you can't deliver," Borrell told the TF1 broadcaster.