French president says Ukraine still 'very far' from EU membership
(Baonghean.vn) - The French President said that he will protect the existing interests of EU members during negotiations with Kiev.
French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters on December 15 that the EU would need to significantly reform its regulations before Ukraine could join the bloc. Macron supported Kiev's entry into the bloc, but warned that Ukraine must not be allowed to harm EU industry.
The European Council agreed on December 14 to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who opposes Ukraine’s membership, abstained from voting on the decision. European Council President Charles Michel hailed the decision as “a very strong political signal,” but Mr. Orban and other skeptics such as Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said the move had little practical significance.
Mr Macron reiterated their claims on 15 December, telling reporters that Ukraine was still “very far away” from joining the bloc.
At a press conference, President Macron was asked whether admitting Ukraine would threaten the livelihoods of French farmers, who would likely be hit hard by cheaper products from Ukrainian partners. “We are very far from a real expansion to Ukraine and in any case, expansion, no matter what, would require a profound reform of our rules,” he replied.
Poland, Hungary and Slovakia have banned grain imports from Ukraine, despite an EU policy introduced after the conflict began to give Ukrainian farmers a market to sell their produce. In addition, Ukraine’s accession to the EU would cut agricultural subsidies for existing members by 20%, further boosting Kiev’s competitive advantage, the Financial Times reported in October, citing EU documents.
“I am committed to European sovereignty in terms of agriculture. We will continue to defend it and maintain our production capacity,” Mr Macron added.
In addition to the impending subsidy dispute, Politico reported in September that EU officials were concerned that widespread corruption in Ukraine could derail Kiev’s membership bid. Since then, Mr. Orban and Mr. Fico have publicly stated that Ukraine’s widespread corruption disqualifies the country from membership, as does its involvement in an ongoing conflict.
Even European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—a staunch supporter of Kiev who declared in September that Ukraine’s future lies “within our union”—cautiously said last week that the council would only vote on “opening accession talks, not the accession itself.” She added that the accession issue would take time anyway.
