EU Ambassador predicts that Ukraine may join EU by decade end despite all difficulties
Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, believes that the forecast of Ukraine's accession to the European Union by 2030 is realistic, despite the fact that the war probably will not end before the end of this year.
"The war will not end this year. However, I will still make my forecast [on Ukraine's accession to the EU] - by the end of the decade, which is the forecast of Charles Michel, who is leaving the post of president of the European Council," she said during a discussion at the NV event "Ukraine 2050. Dialogues about the future."
Commenting on her assessment of the forecast, the Ambassador noted that the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU has three aspects: the first is war; the second is the "technical part" — negotiations directly; the third is the "political part" — ratification by all EU member states.
At the same time, she pointed out that the expansion of the EU beyond the current 27 member states is a complex process, which also requires reform of the system.
"So not all the challenges of accession are from Ukraine’s side. This is also from the EU side. And let's be honest, the enlargement of the European Union is not indisputable. This is a controversial topic. It will have many skeptics," she added, pointing to the strengthening of the positions of the "right-wing" political forces in many European countries.
She summed up that all these are challenges, to overcome which it is necessary to explain why it is in the interests of the EU and its citizens to have Ukraine as part of the EU.
"I am convinced that we will be stronger, more innovative if we look at drones there [on the battlefield in Ukraine], and definitely a more stable and safer country with Ukraine," Mathernova said, adding that she is trying to explain this as best as possible both in Ukraine and abroad.
According to Mathernova, these trends will need to be overcome and explained to people on an ongoing basis, why it is actually in the interests of Europe and in the interests of European citizens to have Ukraine in its composition.
She expressed confidence that this would be the case.
