Who is most supportive of Ukraine's accession to the EU

Vladimir Putin has unwittingly become the biggest catalyst for the expansion of the European Union. His invasion of Ukraine in 2022 pushed more countries to join the bloc.

This was stated by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing his interview with Bloomberg.

“Over the past two and a half years, we have seen a strategic shift in European capitals, which have become more open to expansion. I believe that Vladimir Putin has been the biggest contributor to the enlargement,” he said.

In June, the EU agreed to start membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova, an important step in a process that is likely to take years.

Earlier this year, EU leaders also agreed to start talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina, seeking to bring the divided country closer to Europe and counter Russia's growing influence. Five other countries in the Western Balkans are in various stages of the accession process.

“In the next five years, especially under the mandate of the new European Commission, it will be interesting to see how each of them will make progress and fulfill the criteria,” Plenković said. “We are always ready to support the progress of our neighbors.”

Plenkovic, a former European diplomat, is currently serving his third consecutive term as prime minister after his center-right Croatian Democratic Union won parliamentary elections in April. He was in New York last week for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Author - Olena Madiak, 30/09/2024