The European Commission is set to back EU candidate status for Ukraine next week despite objections from Denmark and the Netherlands, Bloomberg reported on June 10, citing unnamed sources.
The news agency said that according to people familiar with the matter, the recommendation, which needs to be debated and adopted by the college of EU commissioners, would come with conditions linked to the rule of law and anti-corruption legislation.
The EC's approval would need the agreement of members states, which Bloomberg said could be an issue with Denmark, which has issued a diplomatic note warning that Ukraine does not sufficiently fulfil criteria related to the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities.
The Netherlands has also voiced objections, the agency reported.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on the European Union to offer his nation membership in the bloc through a shortened procedure saying it would be a “powerful response” to Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
The bloc’s leaders are set to discuss the matter in Brussels on June 23-24.
The 27-member EU hasn’t expanded its membership in nearly a decade due to weak support from key countries amid slow economic growth.