EU ready for extraordinary approach to Ukraine accession bid
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The EU Commission chief says the bloc will seek EU membership for the Ukraine once the war is over.
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EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen
The European Commission's chief, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Sunday that once the war in Ukraine is over, the EU will support Ukraine's efforts to rebuild.
Von der Leyen said in an interview on CNN that Kiev belonged in Europe, and the EU will support Ukraine's bid for membership, adding that its accession to the Union might be viewed as an extraordinary case.
Usually, it takes a country wishing to join the EU years in order to cross obstacles preventing its accession, von der Leyen admitted. She had traveled on Friday to meet Volodymyr Zelensky a membership questionnaire in order to launch the process of Ukraine's accession.
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 a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
