Commission will urge EU candidate status for war-ravaged Ukraine

[David Morris]

https://twitter.com/politicoeurope/status/1536453118895988740?s=21&t=-S0oi4maYVOH-f-fcqRi-g

"When you ask Ukrainian soldiers fighting somewhere in the Donbas...against
Russian aggression, 'Do you want to be a part of the EU family?' They say,
'Yes, definitely. Because that's what I'm fighting for. I'm fighting not
only for Ukraine, I'm fighting for European values.'"

https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-urge-eu-candidate-status-for-ukraine/

📢 This just in!

The European Commission will recommend granting Ukraine official status as
an EU candidate country.

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The European Commission will recommend granting Ukraine official status as
an EU candidate country, according to several officials familiar with
deliberations that took place during a debate among commissioners on
Monday.


The debate in the College of Commissioners followed a surprise visit
Saturday by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Kyiv, where she
discussed Ukraine’s membership bid with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It
was von der Leyen’s second trip to the Ukrainian capital since Russia’s
full-scale invasion began in late February.


Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have pleaded for official
recognition as an EU candidate country, saying the designation would
provide an incalculably precious wartime morale boost. They have repeatedly
noted that since the Maidan Revolution of 2013-14, Ukrainian citizens have
repeatedly risked their lives — and indeed thousands have now perished
— fighting for a free, democratic future in the EU.