Ukraine may join EU at end of this decade or at beginning of next - Sikorski
According to Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Ukraine has a chance to become a member of the European Union at the end of this decade or at the beginning of the next one.
The Polish diplomat said this in an interview with Espresso, Censor.NET reports.
Sikorski noted that the duration of Ukraine's path to the EU depends on a number of factors. First of all, he said, it depends on the situation at the frontline, as it will affect Ukraine's budgetary capacity.
"A lot will depend, firstly, on the situation at the front, because it will affect Ukraine's budgetary capacity, but also on how far European law should reach; on how quickly you will carry out reforms because the negotiations actually mean that Ukraine must adopt the practice of European legislation, which means translating several thousand pages of European legislation into Ukrainian and voting in the Rada, which is a huge job. There are 35 chapters to be negotiated, including such complex ones as agriculture and transport," said the Polish Foreign Minister.
The diplomat noted that Ukraine is a large country, so it will play a significant role in the EU economy and will have many votes in the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. He also believes that the European Union itself will change under the influence of Ukraine.
At the same time, the Polish minister acknowledges that this will not be an easy process, as important interests of both Ukraine and the EU will be affected.
"It will not be easy to coordinate all this so that everyone wins. But if we all do what we can, then, in my opinion, at the end of this decade or at the beginning of the next, Ukraine can join the European Union," said the Polish foreign minister.
