Polish FM Sikorski details Ukraine’s EU membership challenges, highlighting Hungary’s obstruction and Poland’s economic preparations.
Sikorski on Negotiations
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated in Kyiv that Ukraine has earned its candidate status through bravery after nine years of negotiations. While Poland wanted to open one negotiation cluster during its EU presidency, Hungary prevented this by demonizing Ukraine among its electorate, setting conditions, and blackmailing, making the process difficult.
Sikorski added that Ukraine has not fully implemented the association agreement but is already fully compatible with the EU in certain areas, particularly energy.
Poland’s Economic Calculations
Poland is already calculating the impacts of Ukraine’s EU membership on various sectors of its economy, similar to how Western countries assessed Poland’s EU accession. They recognized challenges, such as increased competition from Polish drivers, but believed the overall benefits would outweigh the costs. Poland’s trade with the original EU has indeed grown many times over, benefiting both Poland and older EU members.
Ukraine’s Candidate Status
Ukraine has had official candidate status for the EU since June 2022, when accession negotiations began. The screening process concluded in September of last year. During the bilateral screening, the European Commission and Ukraine conducted a detailed analysis of each policy area and Ukraine’s compliance with EU legal acquis, with Ukraine presenting clear plans for adapting to regulations.
EU Requirements
The European Commission emphasized that Ukraine must continue reform efforts and adapt to EU legislation, particularly regarding the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions. The screening process enables the Commission to assess Ukraine’s preparedness for membership and serves as a technical basis for further negotiations.
Security Benefits
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in September that Ukraine’s EU membership guarantees both economic and geopolitical security. He expressed gratitude to those who recognize this and noted that such membership also supports the American view that European security should be a common European affair.