EU member states must act decisively to remove artificial institutional barriers on Ukraine's path to European integration and set January 1, 2030, as the target date for Ukraine's EU membership. This date is achievable, and such actions are crucial for the security of the entire European Union.
This statement was made on Monday in Luxembourg before the start of the EU Foreign Ministers' Council meeting by Lithuania's Foreign Minister, Kęstutis Budrys.
“We must discuss the date when Ukraine should become an EU member. I believe that January 1, 2030, is a very achievable date... If we count down from January 1, 2030, it gives us a very tight schedule to work on starting negotiations to open the clusters. We still haven’t done this, even though it’s been more than half a year since Ukraine became a candidate country,” said the Lithuanian minister.
He noted that the reason for the delay is well-known, and it is not Ukraine’s problem—it’s an issue of the effectiveness of European institutions.
“The procedures within European institutions are the problem. It’s the problem of one of us who doesn't see the possibility of doing the right things—I won’t even go into other reasons why this is happening. We need to approach this with open eyes and find solutions to remove these barriers. It’s very important because the security of Europe in the future depends on it,” emphasized Budrys.
On April 14, the EU Foreign Ministers' Council meeting in Luxembourg is taking place, with the situation in Ukraine being the first issue on the agenda once again.
