German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that all countries wishing to join the European Union must meet the criteria of the rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption.
Answering a journalist’s question about the feasibility of Ukraine’s plans to join the European Union by the end of 2024, Scholz said in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper: “In fact, last summer we made Moldova and Ukraine two candidate countries for membership in the European Union, and it was a strong signal. Each candidate country must meet the necessary criteria to become a member of the European Union – the rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption.
When asked if Ukraine has any “military awards” in this area, Scholz replied that the conditions for joining the European Union “are the same for everyone.”
On February 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a statement on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The heads of state and government of the EU countries agreed at a summit in Brussels on June 23 to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates for joining the Union. Before starting negotiations with the European Union on this issue, the two countries must fulfill a number of conditions, including reforms and strengthening the fight against corruption.
Source: News