Levits recalled that in order to join the EU, there are certain reforms that Ukraine must carry out, and they take time. For Latvia, the process took seven years, he said.
“This process can be accelerated. However, it can be more difficult during the war,” Levits said.
The President of Latvia said he could not predict the timing of Ukraine’s accession to the EU, but the member countries of the bloc are serious about ensuring that this happens as soon as possible.
“Of course, Ukraine is now focused on the war, but at the same time they are already carrying out reforms. Therefore, I would say that it will not be soon, but not in the next year,” the Latvian president said.
He also expressed the opinion that the discussion on Ukraine’s accession to NATO will resume after the war.
“I really see Ukraine as a member of NATO, because it will have one of the best armies in the world, and this will be a real contribution to the strength of NATO,” Levits said.
Over the past years, Ukraine has been striving for membership in the EU and NATO, the course towards joining these organizations is fixed in its Constitution.
In 2018, NATO recognized Ukraine as a candidate country for membership in the Alliance, in 2020 Ukraine received the status of an enhanced opportunities partner.
On June 14, 2021, a NATO summit was held in Brussels, in the final communiqué of which it was noted that the Alliance supports Ukraine’s entry into NATO. However, Ukraine has not received a membership action plan.
On February 28, 2022, four days after the start of a full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine applied to join the European Union under a special procedure. Soon such applications were filed by Georgia and Moldova.
On September 30, 2022, after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of the occupied territory of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Ukraine was applying to NATO under the accelerated procedure.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on November 30 that Ukraine’s victory should be a precondition for starting negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and members of the Alliance are helping it in this.
In 2023 Ukraine aims to start EU membership negotiations , Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on January 3. According to him, Ukraine expects to pass the path of negotiations on joining the EU. in less than two years .
On February 22, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukraine could join NATO earlier than the EU.
