Georgia and Moldova submitted formal applications to join the EU on Thursday, piggybacking on a move by Kyiv to seek fast- tracked entry into the bloc in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The wave of applications from the former Soviet republics presents a major challenge for the EU as it seeks to signal solidarity with Kyiv but at the risk of making empty promises to candidate countries and stirring up one of the union’s most divisive issues.

There are deep divisions inside the EU over enlargement as a concept. Some, mainly eastern, member states see expansion as a means to stabilise the region, while others fear that applicant members lack the economic clout, democratic values and rule of law credentials to maintain unity.

“Some member states are pushing for accession [for Ukraine] as soon as possible, others are a bit cautious and some are a bit sceptical given the context,” the official added.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, formally applied for EU membership this week as his army sought to hold off an invasion from more than 100,000 Russian troops. Moldova and Georgia formally followed suit on Thursday. All three are members of the EU’s Eastern Partnership programme and have association agreements with the bloc, granting preferential trade access among other benefits.

On Wednesday Georgia’s president told the Financial Times that the EU needed to speed up its membership process to shield the country from possible Russian aggression, noting that the EU’s lack of clarity on Ukraine’s admission may have encouraged President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of the country.

Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia’s applications are expected to be discussed at an informal summit of the EU’s 27 heads of state and government in Versailles next week.

“Enlargement is the elephant in the room,” a second EU official said of the EU’s desire to assist primarily Ukraine but also Moldova and other countries affected by Russia’s war.

EU leaders have publicly encouraged Ukraine in its bid for membership of the union — among them Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, who said on Sunday that the country was “one of us” and that she wanted it in the EU.

However, the process of gaining EU membership is laborious and complex, and is not down to the commission’s president.

Following an application, the Council must decide whether to request an opinion from the commission about the country, which advocates of Kyiv, Tbilisi and Chisinau’s applications hope can be delivered in an accelerated timeline, rather than as long as 18 months as normal.

https://www.ft.com/content/4bf864d8-95ae-4d95-82b3-9b2c9eee845d

Exactly what Putin was trying to prevent in Ukraine.
Putin should have known that invading Ukraine would only prompt these countries to look west for security and economic development.

Looks like Gog and Magogis losing.

EU continue to get wave of applications from countries who are doing everything to avoid Russia's aggression, Ukraine invasion is Putin's gift that keeps giving.

Joining EU is good if you want to develop your economy. Joining NATO is different. Why does Ukraine want to join NATO instead of EU is they truly want to develop economically?

That's the point! More to come

Moldova the poorest country in Europe
France and Italy will never allow that
France already blaming Germany for allowing too many countries to EU and it’s costing the French billions of Euros every year.
Hungary, Poland, Baltic state and Romania already costed EU billions every year.

Adjovi:
Joining EU is good if you want to develop your economy. Joining NATO is different. Why does Ukraine want to join NATO instead of EU is they truly want to develop economically?

They want to join both. Putin's invasion of Ukraine has opened the eyes of these other countries to prepare themselves. Finland and Sweden are already talking about joining NATO

Countries wey not big pass my Edo state.
Putin is after huge countries with shared borders.


If them born Swedish and Finnish well make them join nato they will suffer Ukraine's fate. Putin wrath dey smell!

Adjovi:
Joining EU is good if you want to develop your economy. Joining NATO is different. Why does Ukraine want to join NATO instead of EU is they truly want to develop economically?

Ukraine is not joining nato but EU. Putin does not want Ukraine to join either. It is easy for member states to buy from other members anything including lethal weapons.
Ukraine war is more than nato membership. Russia is losing former members. to western influence. Why?,Russia has nothing to offer them.

sanpipita:
EU continue to get wave of applications from countries who are doing everything to avoid Russia's aggression, Ukraine invasion is Putin's gift that keeps giving.

Dem no want Putin wahala. Dem see dem as Putin Property.

tonididdy:
Countries wey not big pass my Edo state.
Putin is after huge countries with shared borders.


If them born Swedish and Finnish well make them join nato they will suffer Ukraine's fate. Putin wrath dey smell!

basta.rd. Finland is part of NATO

SouthCaroliina:
basta.rd. Finland is part of NATO

They won't dare it.
They are seing Putin's wrath in action, do not test a patient man!

tonididdy:


They won't dare it.
They are seing Putin's wrath in action, do not test a patient man!

what about Estonia latvia and lithuania

Una don dey find trouble..

SouthCaroliina:
what about Estonia latvia and lithuania

What about them?

Can Moldova and Georgia join EU even with their territorial integrity in question?

Hmmmm

If so, that means a halved Ukraine can also join EU because I see Ukraine losing Dnipropertovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Cherniv, Poltava(maybe), Kahrkiv, Lugansk and Donesk to 2 new republics.

NB: Moldova has lost a chunk of its most industrialized area to Transnistria a breakaway region
While Georgia has 2 break away region south ossetia and Abhakazia thanks to Russia intervention 2008

Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova....birds of a feather
What do they have in common?

1. Western Romance
2. Former Soviet boy
3. Breakaway regions either as a result of direct intervention from Moscow or having too many ethnic Russians as in the case of Moldova

Svlla:
Can Moldova and Georgia join EU even with their territorial integrity in question?

Hmmmm

If so, that means a halved Ukraine can also join EU because I see Ukraine losing Dnipropertovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Cherniv, Poltava(maybe), Kahrkiv, Lugansk and Donesk to 2 new republics.

NB: Moldova has lost a chunk of its most industrialized area to Transnistria a breakaway region
While Georgia has 2 break away region south ossetia and Abhakazia thanks to Russia intervention 2008

There's a map which points at Moldova being likely next country Putin will invade, he usually takes break away countries and hold them down, the faster Moldova moves the better for them

tonididdy:


They won't dare it.
They are seing Putin's wrath in action, do not test a patient man!

Stop watching too many movies

Read more news and books

Moldova already has a breakaway region that's Russian dominated
Why bother with Moldova when Transnistria is holding them by the balls

BTW that country is very poor and the breakaway region is richer than the whole Moldova

Just like the Donbas (separatist held) region in Ukraine and the surrounding Oblast (regions) which Russia is currently occupying is the most developed and urbane part of Ukraine. If Russia successfully take those regions I mentioned earlier then Ukraine will be poorer than Mozambique

sanpipita:


There's a map which points at Moldova being likely next country Putin will invade, he usually takes break away countries and hold them down, the faster Moldova moves the better for them

Svlla:
Moldova already has a breakaway region that's Russian dominated
Why bother with Moldova when Transnistria is holding them by the balls

BTW that country is very poor and the breakaway region is richer than the whole Moldova

Just like the Donbas (separatist held) region in Ukraine and the surrounding Oblast (regions) which Russia is currently occupying is the most developed and urbane part of Ukraine. If Russia successfully take those regions I mentioned earlier then Ukraine will be poorer than Mozambique

It's not easy as that,those regions are unstable, Putin is literally creating an Afghanistan on his borders

Which regions do you speak off Sir?

sanpipita:


It's not easy as that,those regions are unstable, Putin is literally creating an Afghanistan on his borders

Svlla:
Which regions do you speak off Sir?

Donbas region, there's lots of militias and separatists who could end up in power struggle

Unless Russia is not in control
It will be a puppet state of Russia, Moscow controls them

The militia will be a backdrop to build a national army, police and security parastatals with Moscow guidance

sanpipita:


Donbas region, there's lots of militias and separatists who could end up in power struggle

Svlla:
Unless Russia is not in control
It will be a puppet state of Russia, Moscow controls them

The militia will be a backdrop to build a national army, police and security parastatals with Moscow guidance

Puppet states doesn't mean totally control, millitas can go rogue

tonididdy:

What about them?

and they not nato countries sharing borders with Russia?

SouthCaroliina:
and they not nato countries sharing borders with Russia?

so?

tonididdy:

so?

why is Russia not attacking them? According to your logic

SouthCaroliina:
why is Russia not attacking them? According to your logic

You are still dragging this your foolishness since last week

tonididdy:

You are still dragging this your foolishness since last week

sorry educate me

Putin is doing well