This deadline was the subject of uncertainty, the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen having at one time mentioned “the beginning of summer”, before indicating three days later, during a press conference in Kiev on February 24, that this would indeed take place “in mid-March”.
At a summit in mid-December, the leaders of the Twenty-Seven agreed on the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine, instructing the Commission to submit to them a “negotiation framework” after having examined the situation in the country and the measures already adopted by kyiv.
“The question is when the Council will be in a position to adopt it”
“The president recently said that it would be during the month of March,” Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer said on Monday, when asked about the timetable for the presentation of this negotiation framework, which will organize the long talks. of accession with Kiev.
“But the question is when the Council (representing member states) will be in a position to adopt it,” he continued. This decision is made unanimously. A summit of leaders of the Twenty-Seven is planned for March 21 and 22. In June 2022, the EU granted candidate status to Ukraine, in a highly symbolic gesture, a few months after the start of the Russian invasion, as well as to neighboring Moldova.
Viktor Orban, only abstainer
To move on to the next stage – the opening of accession negotiations – Brussels had defined seven reference criteria for kyiv. These are conditions to be met, particularly in terms of the fight against corruption and judicial reforms.
Taking note of kyiv’s progress in these areas, the Commission recommended last November that Member States accept the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine.
The EU heads of state and government meeting at a summit in mid-December gave the green light. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the only EU leader to have maintained close ties with Moscow, abstained, leaving the meeting room so as not to have to endorse a decision that he has continued to criticize.