Ukraine war: European leaders pour cold water on Kyiv's bid to get EU membership quickly
EU leaders have rebuffed Kyiv's calls for a fast-tracked accession that would see Ukraine join the bloc in record time.
Ever since the war broke out, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his top officials have repeated calls for an accelerated entrance, an unheard-of option that defies the traditionally complex and lengthy negotiations.
Meeting in Versailles for an informal EU summit, the 27 leaders simply "acknowledged the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine" and took note of the application that Zelenskyy signed on 28 February.
Member states have already tasked the European Commission with drafting an "opinion" regarding this request. The document is expected to arrive in the coming weeks, although no specific deadline has been given.
"Pending this [opinion] and without delay, we will further strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership to support Ukraine in pursuing its European path. Ukraine belongs to our European family," leaders wrote in their joint Versailles declaration.
Once the European Commission publishes its opinion, leaders are supposed to vote on whether to grant "candidate" status to Ukraine. The step has to be approved by unanimity and does not guarantee the bid would be eventually successful. After that, the arduous negotiations and the implementation of reforms could begin.
The cold water poured on Kyiv's ambitions reflects a West-East divide within the bloc.
Earlier this month, a group of Eastern member states (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) wrote a letter calling for Ukraine to be "immediately" bestowed with candidate status.
But Western Europe has been less keen.
"Can we open today a procedure of accession with a
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