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The EU countries are ready to officially grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for membership in the union at the end of this week, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.
According to the publication, such a step will be taken at the summit of EU leaders on June 23-24, since no one opposed this decision at the meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday, Bloomberg quotes the opinion of its sources.
In addition, Moldova and Georgia are ready to give a similar status in the EU, but if these countries fulfill additional conditions.
As for the states of the Western Balkans, Bloomberg writes, their path to membership has “stalled” despite Hungary’s efforts.
Last week, the European Commission recommended granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate, which “is the first, but very symbolic step on the long road to membership,” the agency’s material says.
The EC made its recommendation on the condition that Kiev resolves issues related to the rule of law in its country, justice and the fight against corruption.
The European Commission has made it clear that the rules and criteria for Ukraine’s accession will be the same as for all candidates, and the fulfillment of “difficult membership criteria” may last more than ten years, Bloomberg believes.
“Croatia was the last country to join the bloc, and its application lasted 10 years before it was officially accepted in 2013,” the agency recalled.