European Commission proposes granting candidate status to Ukraine
(Baonghean.vn) - On June 17, the European Commission (EC) recommended that the European Union (EU) grant candidate status to join the bloc to Ukraine and Moldova, while Georgia was required to meet a number of conditions before being granted similar status.
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Prime Ministers of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia at the headquarters of the European Commission. Photo: AFP |
“Ukraine should be welcomed as a candidate country. We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European future. We want them to live together with us for the European dream,” stressed EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
Opening the door to Ukraine is seen by Kiev as a highly symbolic moment as the country seeks to strengthen its position within Europe in the face of Russia's military actions.
Responding to the latest developments regarding Ukraine's application to join the EU, the Kremlin said it is closely monitoring Ukraine's efforts, especially in the context of increased defense cooperation within the bloc.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the issue "requires our close attention, because we are all aware of the European push for discussions on the topic of strengthening the EU's defense sector."
“There are a lot of changes that we are monitoring very carefully,” he said.