Ukraine EU membership to take 15-20 years: France EU minister
France, with Ukraine aspiring to join more western organizations and blocs, broke the bad news to Kiev that accession to NATO would take up to two decades to come to life.
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EU flags and Ukrainian flags flying near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, March 7, 2022 (AFP)
As Finland and Sweden are pushing for accession to NATO, France's Europe minister, Clement Beaune, reportedly said Ukraine's EU membership was "15 or 20 years" away from being realized.
"We have to be honest. If you say Ukraine is going to join the EU in six months, or a year or two, you're lying," Beaune said, speaking to a local radio station. "It's probably in 15 or 20 years, it takes a long time."
French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier voiced his aspiration to create a European political community to ensure Ukraine could join the 27-nation bloc later on. However, Zelensky dismissed the move, asking to join the European Union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned Ukraine against joining the European Union and NATO as Kiev aspired to obtain membership in both, and after the Ukraine war broke out, Finland and Sweden started their bids to become member states.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia had no issue with Finland and Sweden that are willing to join NATO, affirming that their accession to the alliance posed no threat to his country. However, he stressed, that such action would trigger an appropriate reaction from Moscow.
The Kremlin stated on Monday that Finland and Sweden's decision to join NATO would not strengthen European security.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had also said that the decision was a "grave mistake with far-reaching consequences."
Earlier, Turkey voiced opposition to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership requests, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who added that any attempts to persuade Ankara to modify its attitude would be futile.
President Erdogan considered that Finland and Sweden "do not have a clear unequivocal stance against terrorist organizations. Sweden is the incubation center of terrorist organizations. They bring terrorists to talk in their parliaments."
The Turkish president was alluding to the banned separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP/C).
