“There are those who have come a long way”: Austrian Foreign Minister opposes Ukraine’s EU membership<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alexander Schallenberg ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KYIV.UkraineGate , 24 , \u00a0April , 2022 | War News \u00a0<\/strong>Austrian Foreign Minister Oleksandr Schallenberg believes that Ukraine should not be offered membership in the European Union, as there are countries in the Western Balkans that have come a long way.\u00a0He stated this speaking at the 14th summit of European media in Lech am Arlberg .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Details<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Schallenberg believes that Ukraine should not receive candidate status in June, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Minister, there are states in the Western Balkans that have come a long way towards candidacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Austrian Foreign Minister is convinced that Ukraine should not, in principle, become a member of the EU, even later. He believes that there should be other models than Ukraine’s accession to the EU, joining the EU’s Single Economic Zone or simply maintaining the current level of the Association Agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schallenberg called for greater flexibility in finding mechanisms for rapprochement between Ukraine and the EU. However, he undoubtedly supported the further strengthening of the EU’s relations with Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s add<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ukraine has sent the completed first part of the questionnaire to the European Commission in order to obtain the status of a candidate country for EU membership. Ukraine is currently working on the second part, which is planned to be completed by early May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak, Ukraine expects to receive the status of a candidate country for EU membership following the European Council in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On April 19, Zelensky informed the President of the European Commission about the transfer of the questionnaire on EU membership.\u00a0By the end of June, the European Commission will\u00a0publish<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0its opinion on Ukraine’s application to join the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n