EU Commission for candidate status to Ukraine Moldova

Kyiv, June 17

The executive arm of the European Union recommended on Friday that Ukraine and Moldova be granted candidate status to join the 27-nation bloc.

The promise of membership in a union created to safeguard peace on the continent holds deep symbolism for the nation at war. But it is only the first step in a process that could take decades.

The European Commission recommendation is the first step on the long road toward membership and comes a day after four European Union leaders vowed to back Kyiv’s candidacy. The recommendation will be discussed by leaders of the 27-nation bloc during a summit next week in Brussels. Launching accession talks requires unanimous approval from all member countries. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Moldova has taken a decisive step towards reforms, with a clear mandate from its citizens”. “It is on a real pro-reform, anti-corruption and European path for the first time since independence,” she said, noting that the former Soviet republic “still has a long way to go”. — Agencies