Ukraine Corruption Worries Cloud Its Push to Join EU
livemint.comThe European Union will recommend on Wednesday that the bloc begins membership talks with Ukraine soon, boosting President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has made EU accession a central goal. Even though membership talks would take years to complete, a positive EU recommendation would offer Zelensky and Ukraine rare good news at a tense time. The war with Russia has become bogged down, and tensions between Zelensky and his top military leaders have spilled into public display.
International focus has largely shifted to the Middle East, and Congress has blocked new aid for Ukraine. Against that background, the EU’s executive body, the European Commission, is expected Wednesday to recommend moving forward with accession talks, according to EU officials. A favorable opinion will present Europe’s national leaders with a critical decision next month.
Unanimous approval is needed from all 27 EU countries to open negotiations and set a date to begin talks. Diplomats say some EU leaders still need convincing. At the heart of European concerns about Ukraine—echoed by Washington—is whether the country can overhaul its governance and political culture to rein in the power of big tycoons and eradicate endemic corruption that has impeded economic growth and social cohesion.
To open the way for EU accession talks, the bloc set Ukraine seven reform tests. The Biden administration has also warned Kyiv it must do more to ensure U.S. aid to the country is handled correctly and transparently amid fading U.S.
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