The European Union’s high official on Wednesday known as for a significant enlargement of the bloc to incorporate not solely Ukraine but in addition Moldova, a number of Western Balkan nations and Georgia over the following few years, a transfer that will push the group from 27 to over 30 members with greater than half a billion residents, and would make the world’s largest free-trade, free-travel space even bigger.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, mentioned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had pushed Europe to reply “to the call of history.”
“In a world where size and weight matter, it is clearly in Europe’s strategic and security interest to complete our Union,” she mentioned in her annual State of the European Union deal with on the European Parliament within the French metropolis of Strasbourg.
Ms. von der Leyen mentioned that the aspiring new members ought to endure rigorous reforms earlier than becoming a member of the bloc. Addressing the priority of many longtime E.U. members, such because the Netherlands, she additionally harassed that rule of regulation — which includes rooting out corruption — ought to be on the coronary heart of their accession.
The intently watched deal with units the agenda for the yr forward and is the final in her five-year time period, which ends subsequent summer season with elections held throughout the E.U. Ms. von der Leyen has not but confirmed whether or not she’s going to search the submit once more.
“We will be at Ukraine’s side every step of the way. For as long as it takes,” mentioned Ms. von der Leyen, one of the vocal and steadfast of Ukraine’s supporters in Europe.
She additionally introduced that the bloc, which hosts about 4 million Ukrainian refugees, will proceed affording them a particular standing that routinely grants them entry to well being, schooling and labor markets, for one more yr.
Source: www.nytimes.com