In an interview with RZ, the President of the European Council assessed that 20 years after the largest enlargement of the European Union, we face a similar challenge as in 2004.
— Because we are dealing with geopolitical chaos, including because of Russia's war against Ukraine. Our strategy must be to reunite. Let us imagine what the situation would be like in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, without prior expansion? Charles Michel said: “We will be 15 countries, and in our neighborhood there will be weaker countries, from the point of view of prosperity or the strength of institutions.”
— It is easy to imagine what would happen now without the previous expansion. Current EU member states would likely fall victim to attempted ideological and political repression by the Kremlin, with all the consequences for the EU, since it would be our immediate neighbours. Interview with “Raz”.
Charles Michel: We must be ready by 2030
Referring to the Western Balkans, he stressed that he was not saying that the group would expand in 2030, but that “we must be ready by 2030.” – If we delay for decades, as has been the case over the past twenty years, we are giving a signal to China, Russia and perhaps some Persian Gulf states that this is their playground in our immediate neighborhood (…) – Michel said.
He added that the enlargement would have a clear impact on EU financing and transition periods would be needed. We did this systematically during the last waves of EU enlargement, and we can do so now, including in the areas of agriculture and cohesion. Moreover, if you look at the size of the Western Balkan countries, Moldova and Georgia, it does not represent a major challenge for the EU, he noted.
Michel pointed out that the other issue is Ukraine, which is a larger country, and the challenge is particularly in the agricultural sector. According to the Council President, in this case a “different transformation path” would be needed, which had not been used before. — Because this is the only example of a country facing war, and for Ukraine it is very clear that we should support its reconstruction (…) We should not be so afraid. He said that we know from experience that the best engine for development in countries like Ukraine is the single market.
According to Charles Michel, Ukraine's accession to the European market will encourage European companies to invest in this country.
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