European Commission recommends starting admission talks with Ukraine, Moldova - von der Leyen

BRUSSELS. Nov 8 (Interfax) - The European Commission recommends starting negotiations on admitting Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union if they meet certain conditions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

"Today the commission recommends that the Council [of the EU] opens accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova," von der Leyen said.

The admission talks with Kiev with start as soon as it completes the ongoing reforms, she said. The European Commission will provide updates on these talks in March 2024.

"The commission recommends that the council brands Georgia the status of a candidate country on the understanding that certain reform steps are taken," she said.

The European Commission had also proposed starting negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina on joining the EU, she said.

EU leaders are expected to adopt a decision regarding the European Commission's recommendations in December.

Ukraine has already fulfilled 90% of the requirements set out by the EU last year, von der Leyen said.

"Main progress has been achieved on the constitutional justice reform, on the selection of the High Council of Justice, the anticorruption program, progress on anti-money laundering, important measures to curb the oligarchs' grip on the public life, a new media law, and progress on national minorities," she said.

Moldova has also made significant headway in fulfilling the European Commission's conditions, including progress on the judiciary and the fight against corruption, von der Leyen said. In addition, Moldova has adopted a plan of action for deoligarchization.

In February 2022, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a formal request to join the EU. The European Council granted candidate status to Ukraine in June that year.

Moldova also received EU candidate status in June 2022.

Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022.