The European Commission will respond to war-torn Ukraine’s EU membership bid next month, a key step before the issue is taken up by member states, Ursula von der Leyen said Monday.
In a tweet, the EU chief said she had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and was looking forward to receiving the answers to Ukraine’s membership questionnaire.
“The EU Commission will aim to deliver its opinion in June,” she added.
In April, von der Leyen visited Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukraine and agreed that Brussels would consider Ukraine’s longstanding ambition to join the bloc.
Formally adopting the country as a candidate would be a decision for the 27 EU member states acting on expert advice from von der Leyen’s commission, which would oversee the complex and potentially lengthy accession process.
Ukraine will notably have to meet rigorous standards in governance, fight corruption and apply the rule of law before it could be admitted as a member.
