Let me start by eyerolling in Jean Claude Juncker's general direction. Why is ANYONE from the EPP allowed to open their mouths about corruption in accession countries anymore? Does anyone remember Manfred Weber's obamaesque red line about CER? Joseph Daul's "enfant terrible"? The YEARS they spend shielding Viktor Orban from any consequences in exchange for goodies for the CDU's clientele?
Bref, anytime someone from an EPP party brings up corruption in Ukraine or anywhere else on the planet, just assume they're worried about the competition.
"some voices in Europe who are telling Ukrainians that they can become members immediately."
Who? Name names. I don't think PiS wants to go anywhere near the topic at the moment.
I felt the same way about Zelensky basically lying on twitter about the "immediate accession", but at least the Ukraining government has learnt quite a bit about the accession process since then and have stopped selling it as an instant prize for heroism.
I'm not sure "keep Ankara aligned with the West" is a comparable argument to "You enlarge or you have bloodlands and instability and possible invasion of members like the Baltics for the foreseeable future". Was Ankara drifting away ever an existential threat?
"They want Ukraine to be given an unprecedentedly accelerated accession timeline, granted exemptions and privileges never seen before. "
I´m assuming this is the Baltics + the Czech Republic. Because otherwise, it's Ukraine's neighbours whose enthusiasm for them joining seems anything but guaranteed given recent developments. Given how most of them are positioned regarding EU reforms and unanimity, I'm afraid they'll have to adjust their thirst for cake. Cakeism is not just a British addiction.
"Like Turkey, Ukraine’s large population and vast territory could be difficult for the EU to absorb"
The territory argument makes sense for the CAP, but population? How much bigger is the Ukraine's population than Poland's? Even if two thirds of refugees return in peacetime (unlikely, but let's roll with it) Ukraine was one of the worst demographic performers on the planet even before the war. By the 2030s it's projected to have a smaller population than Poland's. There are arguments against enlargement to full membership I can see the merits of, but population is not one of them.
My sense is that if Ukraine was willing to talk about a firm timeline in which they would join the Eurozone post membership that would definitely turnaround some sceptics.
Let me start by eyerolling in Jean Claude Juncker's general direction. Why is ANYONE from the EPP allowed to open their mouths about corruption in accession countries anymore? Does anyone remember Manfred Weber's obamaesque red line about CER? Joseph Daul's "enfant terrible"? The YEARS they spend shielding Viktor Orban from any consequences in exchange for goodies for the CDU's clientele?
Bref, anytime someone from an EPP party brings up corruption in Ukraine or anywhere else on the planet, just assume they're worried about the competition.
"some voices in Europe who are telling Ukrainians that they can become members immediately."
Who? Name names. I don't think PiS wants to go anywhere near the topic at the moment.
I felt the same way about Zelensky basically lying on twitter about the "immediate accession", but at least the Ukraining government has learnt quite a bit about the accession process since then and have stopped selling it as an instant prize for heroism.
I'm not sure "keep Ankara aligned with the West" is a comparable argument to "You enlarge or you have bloodlands and instability and possible invasion of members like the Baltics for the foreseeable future". Was Ankara drifting away ever an existential threat?
"They want Ukraine to be given an unprecedentedly accelerated accession timeline, granted exemptions and privileges never seen before. "
I´m assuming this is the Baltics + the Czech Republic. Because otherwise, it's Ukraine's neighbours whose enthusiasm for them joining seems anything but guaranteed given recent developments. Given how most of them are positioned regarding EU reforms and unanimity, I'm afraid they'll have to adjust their thirst for cake. Cakeism is not just a British addiction.
"Like Turkey, Ukraine’s large population and vast territory could be difficult for the EU to absorb"
The territory argument makes sense for the CAP, but population? How much bigger is the Ukraine's population than Poland's? Even if two thirds of refugees return in peacetime (unlikely, but let's roll with it) Ukraine was one of the worst demographic performers on the planet even before the war. By the 2030s it's projected to have a smaller population than Poland's. There are arguments against enlargement to full membership I can see the merits of, but population is not one of them.
My sense is that if Ukraine was willing to talk about a firm timeline in which they would join the Eurozone post membership that would definitely turnaround some sceptics.