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12 European Union countries, including Poland, called on Wednesday for the Belgian presidency of the EU to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova by the end of June. “We believe that the time has come to move forward,” representatives of these countries wrote in a letter to Belgium’s Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib.
In the letter, which was obtained by PAP, the ministers of 12 EU countries remind that according to the arrangements of the EU leaders from March 2024, the Council was obliged to “promptly adopt the framework for accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and immediately continue the work.”
“By agreeing to these negotiation frameworks and convening intergovernmental conferences, we will de facto and de jure start accession negotiations with both countries. Starting accession negotiations would provide additional motivation for both Ukraine and Moldova. Considering the dire situation in Ukraine and the upcoming presidential elections and the EU referendum in Moldova, it would boost morale and accelerate the reform work in these countries,” the letter reads.
“(….) We believe that the time has come to move forward. Furthermore, to continue a credible enlargement process, the EU should ensure tangible benefits for the populations of these countries. This can be achieved through the gradual integration of Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union, by gradually introducing individual EU policies and programs before full membership in the EU. Therefore, we jointly call for the adoption of the negotiation frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova by the General Affairs Council by June at the latest, to convene intergovernmental conferences with both countries by the end of June,” representatives of the 12 countries wrote.
The letter was signed by the ministers responsible for EU affairs of Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Portugal, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, Romania, and Slovakia. (05.06.2024)