Share :

Download PDF :

The Guardian (12 December 2023)

Jon Henley

Europeans are generally open to the idea of Ukraine joining the EU, despite the costs and risks, but lukewarm at best about the bloc’s prospective enlargement to also take in Georgia and countries in the [Balkans], according to a survey.

The European Commission recommended last month that formal accession talks begin with Ukraine and Moldova. The EU’s 27 heads of government are due to discuss the proposal at a Brussels summit this week – although Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has repeatedly said he opposesopening negotiations with Kyiv.

Long on the back burner, enlargement has become an urgent EU prioritysince Russia launched its war on Ukraine. The commission in November also backed entry talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina – once Sarajevo is ready – and recommended Georgia be given candidate country status.

Click for more