KYIV — The European Commission’s recommendation that Ukraine start formal talks to become a member of the EU afforded a rare moment of joy to a country fighting off an invasion by Russia, Olga Stefanishyna, Ukrainian deputy prime minister, said Thursday.
“Ukraine inspired Europe” and the EU “returned the faith,” added Stefanishyna, whose portfolio includes European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
However, much work remains ahead of a December European Council meeting, at which EU leaders will decide whether to back the Commission’s advice.
Ukraine will have to persuade EU countries such as Hungary, which has threatened to block negotiations on its accession to the bloc as long as a language law that Budapest says affects the Hungarian minority in Ukraine remains in force, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with NOS on Tuesday.
Although the Commission’s enlargement report acknowledged that Kyiv has made tremendous progress on reforming the country despite the Russian invasion, Ukraine still has to improve its track record on fighting corruption; enact a law to regulate lobbying within an action plan to counter oligarchs; and improve protection of the languages of national minorities.
“We separate the issue of the Hungarian minority rights and the Hungarian government demands, because the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine are ensured,” Stefanishyna said. “I am sure that we will be able to overcome this challenge as well. I am sure that we will find a political understanding.”
Dialogue is underway with Budapest on how Ukraine will improve protection of the Hungarian community. In September the Ukrainian delegation handed Hungary a detailed roadmap that included both practical steps, such as providing Hungarian-speaking children with textbooks, and plans to change legislation.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said Ukraine should get comfortable with making even more concessions on the path to the EU.
The enlargement process is “very demanding,” she said. “A lot of it is unpleasant. You are going to be asked things that sometimes will not make sense. We all went through it because the price was worth it.”
“It is fascinating that you are fighting for your national sovereignty on the frontline, and at the same time you are fighting to get into a bloc where you will have to give up a lot of your sovereignty in specific areas. But it makes sense when you join the peaceful, democratic, prosperous bloc, where a lot of things have to happen by consensus,” she said.
