NewsEuropeEuropean Commission endorses Ukraine's EU candidacy

European Commission endorses Ukraine’s EU candidacy

: EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood

The European Commission on Friday recommended granting Ukraine candidate status to one day join the 27-nation bloc.

The promise of accession to a union created to safeguard peace on the continent has deep symbolism for the embattled nation. But it is only the first step in a process that could last decades.

And it did not silence the guns and artillery that continue to kill civilians and raze cities to the ground, driving millions of people to flee the country since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

Russia continued its attacks on towns in the eastern Donbas region, leaving their desperate residents struggling to make sense of what the coming years will bring.

We are old people, we have nowhere else to go. Where am I going to go?” wondered Vira Miedientseva on Thursday after a Russian attack on Lysychansk, which is just across the river from Sievierodonesk, the town Russian troops have focused on in recent weeks and are about to seize.

The European Commission’s recommendation is the first step in the long process toward membership and comes a day after four bloc leaders pledged support for Kiev’s bid during a visit to the country. Leaders of the bloc’s 27 nations will discuss the recommendation at a summit in Brussels next week. Unanimous approval from all partners is needed to start the process of entry negotiations.

The war has increased pressure on EU governments to act more quickly on Ukraine’s candidate status. The process is expected to take several years, and partners remain divided on the speed and degree of openness towards new members.

Separately, the Ukrainian navy claimed on Friday that it attacked the Russian vessel Vasily Bekh, which was carrying air defense systems, ammunition and personnel to Snake Island, vital for the protection of sea routes departing from the port of Odessa.

The island, located about 35 kilometers (20 miles) off the coast, came into memorable prominence at the start of the invasion when Ukrainian border guards stationed there defied the Russian order to surrender, using striking language that later became a rallying cry.

The flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, which was used in the seizure of the island, was sunk in April by Ukraine in a major coup by Kiev’s outnumbered and outgunned forces against Moscow’s, taking advantage of U.S. technology and intelligence.

Following the sinking of the Moskva, the Russians began installing an anti-aircraft missile system called TOR on the decks of their ships, the Ukrainian navy said Friday, noting that it was not enough to prevent its forces from demilitarizing the Russian occupiers.

Russian authorities did not immediately react to the Ukrainian claim.

Despite the apparent success, Ukraine has urged its allies to send it more and better weapons claiming it cannot contain Moscow’s powerful troops without more support. Western weapons have been critical in the surprise success the beleaguered nation has had so far.

SourceAP

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