EU summit grants Ukraine, Moldova candidate status to join the EU

New Delhi: Heads of state of the European Union have decided to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates to join the bloc, President of the European Council Charles Michel said as the EU held a summit on Thursday.

“Agreement. EUCO has just decided EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova,” he said on Twitter, using the acronym for the European Council.

“A historic moment,” he said. “Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU. Our future is together.” The official congratulated the leaders of Ukraine and Moldova.

Regarding Georgia, the European Council “decided to recognize the European perspective of Georgia and is ready to grant candidate status once the outstanding priorities are addressed,” Michel said.

“Congratulations to the Georgian people,” he said. “A historic moment in EU-Georgia relations: Georgia’s future lies within the EU.”

The European Commission on June 17 recommended that the summit grant a candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the EU must grant Ukraine a candidate status as a “symbol of hope” to support the morale of the Ukrainians while the country had a long way to go before actual accession.

(Vinayak)