Michael Gahler, the European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine, has stated that Ukraine may be a part of the European Union even when components of its territory stay beneath occupation, following the precedent of West Germany or Cyprus.
Supply: Gahler in an interview with European Pravda
Particulars: Gahler stated it’s important to stay sensible, as Ukraine's accession to the EU throughout wartime would entail the EU's direct involvement within the warfare – a situation that requires unanimity and is subsequently extremely unlikely.
He advised, nonetheless, that the state of affairs can be totally different if a ceasefire have been reached however some territories remained occupied.
Quote: "Then we could have a state of affairs by some means much like West Germany's membership within the EU, regardless of [the fact that] it didn’t management East Germany. And after the autumn of the Berlin Wall, the German structure was activated in East Germany and it grew to become a part of the EU routinely, because the EU recognised Germany as its member, regardless of the place its borders lie."
Extra particulars: Gahler added that there’s a comparable instance in Cyprus.
Quote: "Within the second when an answer is discovered and Cyprus is reunited, the EU membership and EU legal guidelines begin to be utilized on the entire territory."
Extra particulars: He believes the identical strategy could possibly be utilized to Ukraine.
Quote: "If there’s a level of a ceasefire whereas not all the things is beneath authorities management, nothing prevents us from negotiating your accession.
And the topic of negotiations can be the membership of Ukraine, not a part of Ukraine. Our counterpart in these negotiations can be the federal government of all the Ukraine in its internationally recognised borders. And if not, all the territory is but beneath authorities management, these components will be a part of the EU in the intervening time of their return beneath authorities management."
Extra particulars: Gahler careworn that the existence of occupied territories shouldn’t stop Ukraine from changing into an EU member.
He additionally famous that transitional preparations would permit for the seamless integration of these territories as soon as they’re returned beneath Ukrainian management.
Quote: "When Ukraine joins the EU, the transitional interval is utilized to the a part of the nation that’s beneath authorities management [some regulations of the EU joint market are not applied for a specific time period – European Pravda]. And, to place issues merely, when different components of Ukraine be a part of later, there might be related transitional durations utilized."
Extra particulars: In the identical interview, Gahler implied that accession talks might not open earlier than Hungary's elections in spring 2026, saying that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán won’t change his thoughts.
Background: Earlier, Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, introduced that Ukraine and the European Union have accomplished the screening of Ukrainian laws as a part of EU accession negotiations.
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