There will be no peace in Europe with Putin in power
A conversation with Borja Lasheras, advisor on Ukraine to Joseph Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Interviewer: Iwona Reichardt
November 22, 2024 -
Borja Lasheras
Iwona Reichardt
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Hot TopicsIssue 6 2024Magazine
Photo courtesy of Borja Lasheras
IWONA REICHARDT: Ukraine is making progress on its path to integration with the European Union. However, this is the first country that is at war at the time of integrating with EU structures, which is an unusual situation and a challenge, both for Ukraine and the EU. How does the EU assess Ukraine’s road to membership, given these circumstances?
BORJA LASHERAS: There are several factors to take into account in this regard. When it comes to the so-called fundamental clusters, meaning the rule of law and judicial reform, Ukraine has made some progress. But more still needs to be done. The approach of the European Commission is more or less the same as it is toward EU integrating countries such as Albania, Serbia or Montenegro. At the same time, the EU, of course, realizes that Ukraine is fighting an existential war against a nuclear power. This war, naturally, has an effect on the integration process. For example, just a few days ago, a Supreme Court judge was killed in a drone attack near Kharkiv. Or there are people who worked in the court system and who are now fighting on the front lines. This makes Ukraine’s enlargement a different case than what we have experienced with other states. We have enlargement experience with countries that have come out of conflict, but not with a country that’s fighting an existential war.
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Europe, European integration, European Union, Russia, Ukraine, War
