European Union leaders should allow formal talks on Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the bloc to start once both countries have finalised the necessary reforms, the European Commission has said.
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00:00 Ukraine is one step closer to joining the European Union.
00:04 The European Commission has recommended member states formally open accession talks with
00:09 Kiev.
00:10 Although outstanding work on fundamental reforms needs to be met in the coming months, nonetheless,
00:15 the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said today was a historical
00:19 day.
00:20 It is now ten years ago that the protests on Maidan started.
00:28 Maidan protests were people were shot because they wrapped themselves into a European flag.
00:36 And now, ten years later, today is a historic day because today the Commission recommends
00:45 that the Council opens accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova.
00:52 In a 150-page assessment, the EU says Ukraine has made significant progress in tackling
00:57 corruption, the influence of oligarchs on political life, the rights of minorities and
01:02 the independence of the judicial system, although some more work is required in these areas.
01:07 Speaking to Euronews, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister said these issues would be resolved
01:11 soon and oligarchs would no longer be a problem in Ukraine.
01:15 "The experts and the leaders of opinion have said oligarchs are officially dead, not from
01:23 the physical point of view, but as a creation of the post-Soviet transition period.
01:32 So there are many things to be accomplished, but basically we have been recognized as a
01:39 country which has overcame this influence and there is no way back."
01:44 The EU strongly commended Ukraine's progress in the midst of the Russian invasion of their
01:48 country, which created the momentum for theirs and Moldova's membership bid.
01:53 All 27 member states have to unanimously agree to move Ukraine to accession talks.
01:57 If all goes to plan, a timeline for starting negotiations would then emerge for early 2024.
02:03 Seana Murray, Euronews, Brussels.
02:06 for Euronews.
02:08 [SWOOSH]