Estonia welcomes EU's Moldova, Ukraine candidate status decision
President Alar Karis and Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) praised the European Commission's recommendation to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status on Friday.
"Ukraine & Moldova belong to European family & we want them to live the European dream," Karis wrote on social media after the announcement.
.@EU_Commission is recommending to grant the EU candidate status to & This is a long-waited positive message with concrete conditions and clear hope. Waiting for #EUCO to endorse this. #Ukraine & #Moldova belong to European family & we want them to live the European dream!
— Alar Karis (@AlarKaris) June 17, 2022
"Europe isn't just geography. It's a set of values and Ukraine is fighting for them. Let's use the momentum. Ukraine needs hope and our support," Kallas said, adding she also welcomed the decision on Moldova.
I strongly welcome @vonderleyen and @EU_Commission's positive recommendation on granting #Ukraine EU candidate country status.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 17, 2022
Europe isn't just geography. It's a set of values and Ukraine is fighting for them.
Let's use the momentum. Ukraine needs hope and our support. 1/2
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andres Sutt (Reform) called the decision a "landmark event" and one the countries and Estonia have "long expected".
"The war in Ukraine is not only between Ukraine and Russia, it is between different value spaces. Ukraine has demonstrated clearly that it belongs in the family of European Union member states and Estonia will do everything it can to make sure they do become a member state," he said, adding he will take this message with him to the EU foreign ministers' meeting next week.
"We are ready to share our experiences and help with reforms," Sutt said.
On Friday, the European Commission recommended that Ukraine and Moldova be given candidate status to become members of the European Union on the condition they carry out reforms.
Georgia's application, submitted in March, was also accessed but it was only granted a membership perspective, rather than candidate status.
Next week the commission's decision will be discussed by the European Council who will either accept or reject it.
Estonia has been a strong supporter of Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
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Editor: Helen Wright
