France, Poland, and Spain Support Ukraine's EU Membership
Three of the EU's largest member states, France, Poland, and Spain, have expressed their support for Ukraine's European Union (EU) accession process. They believe that Kyiv's strong agricultural sector should not be a barrier to its membership.
Addressing Concerns Over Agriculture
Ukraine's agricultural sector, known for its size and competitiveness, has raised concerns among EU farmers who rely heavily on subsidies. This has led to fears that Ukrainian membership could negatively impact their businesses. French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has already capitalized on these fears.
Member State Opinions
Poland's European Affairs Minister, Ignacy Niemczycki, acknowledged the existence of member states with doubts regarding Ukraine's accession, though he did not specify which countries. However, France, Poland, and Spain all voiced their support for Ukraine's progress in the EU membership process.
Progress on Reform Clusters
Ukraine is currently partway through unlocking the six to-do lists of reforms required for EU membership. While agriculture remains an unopened list, the country is set to unlock clusters two and three on October 13th, covering various economic reforms.
Support for Ukraine's Readiness
French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad praised Ukraine for its recent passage of a bill on minorities, which helped lift Hungary's block on membership talks. He and Spanish European Affairs Minister Fernando Sampedro expressed hope for the swift opening of all negotiation clusters with Ukraine and Moldova.
Polish Perspective
Niemczycki emphasized that opening clusters is necessary for negotiations, stating, "Opening a cluster does not mean closing it." He encouraged Ukraine to adhere to EU rules, which, for Poland, means alignment with the EU.
Geopolitical Benefits
Other member states, such as Germany and Finland, also supported Ukraine's EU membership, viewing it as a geopolitical asset. Finnish European Affairs Minister Joakim Strand noted, "We are absolutely not afraid of Ukrainian agriculture... We believe that Ukraine's future is within the European Union."