According to Martin Selmayr, the ambassador of the European Union in Austria, Ukraine will need at least six years to become a full member of the EU.
The process of Ukraine’s accession to the EU can be extended
The bloc's representative drew attention to the fact that it took six years for Austria to join the EU and 11 for Spain.
Ukraine may need time somewhere in between, Selmayr predicts.
Journalists asked the ambassador whether the official Brussels decision regarding the start of negotiations with Ukraine is not an empty promise of accession.
According to him, accession negotiations are a concrete promise to become a permanent member of the EU family.
However, this does not mean Kyiv has already done everything the bloc required. There is still a lot of work ahead.
Turkey withdrew from the European Union. In contrast, we see that Ukraine has established itself in the very heart of the EU. Negotiations with it are part of our security architecture. Europe should not return to the darkest times of the 19th century, when the aggressor invaded its neighbor to annex its lands, the EU ambassador noted.
Why does Austria quite often criticize the EU for its "special" attitude towards Ukraine
It's no secret that official Vienna has repeatedly accused the EU authorities of treating Ukraine "in a special way" and allegedly ignoring the efforts of the Balkan countries.
Martin Selmayr has traditionally reiterated that Austria will insist that each state be judged on its own merits.
He also admitted that the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU leads to new dynamics in the Western Balkans.
Thanks to the association agreement, Ukraine has already adopted 70 percent of EU legislation since 2016. However, much still needs to be done, in particular, regarding the independence of the judicial system and the efficiency of the administration, the diplomat added.
