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a quick, but limited EU membership for ukraine....

BRUSSELS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The European Commission is considering ways to allow Ukraine's quick accession to the EU as part of a peace deal with Russia but without giving Kyiv full membership rights, which would only be "earned" after transition periods, EU officials said.

 

EU executive weighs idea of quick, but limited membership for Ukraine

EU's Proposal for Ukraine's Membership

By Jan Strupczewski, Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray

Background on Ukraine's EU Aspirations

 

Challenges in the Accession Process

The idea, which is at a very early stage, is intended as a possible gesture to Ukrainians who are seeking EU membership as part of a post-war security guarantee from Europe and who after four years of fighting off a Russian invasion want a credible promise that they are on the path toward economic stability and integration with the West.

Potential Implications of Limited Membership

Ukrainian EU membership in 2027 was pencilled into a 20-point peace plan discussed between the United States, Ukraine and the European Union, diplomats said, as a measure to ensure Ukraine's economic prosperity after the war ends.

But many EU governments believe that date, or any other fixed date, is completely unrealistic, because EU accession is currently a merit-based process, moving forward only when there is progress in adjusting a country's laws to EU standards.

Joining the bloc also requires signoff from the national parliaments of the EU's 27 member states.

The idea floated by EU officials would see the traditional process reversed, though even limited membership would still require the consent of EU governments and national parliaments.

"We have to recognise that we are in a very different reality than when the (accession) rules were first drawn up," one EU official said.

Ukraine - and potentially other candidates - would join the EU quickly and then get 'staged access' to voting rights, depending on their progress towards meeting the full membership criteria, the official said.

YEARS OF NEGOTIATIONS

Ukraine has been battling a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022 and became a candidate to join the EU in June that year, with negotiations opened at the end of 2023.

Normally accession talks take years: Poland, with a similar population to Ukraine, needed 10 years, without being at war, to complete negotiations and all the necessary legal changes to be able to join in 2004 along with nine other countries.

But some in the Commission argue that, politically, Ukraine does not have that much time, because a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia could entail territorial losses for Kyiv and be hard for Ukrainians to accept in a possible referendum.

EU membership, even if limited, could make that more palatable and establish the stability needed to complete the necessary reforms to gain full EU rights, officials said.

"It is Europe’s interest to have Ukraine in the EU, because of our own security," an EU diplomat said.

"It is why we need to look for creative solutions - how to get Ukraine in the EU quickly. The reversed membership concept reflects this idea - to have Ukraine joining the EU politically and then getting full rights and full-fledged membership once all conditions are met," the diplomat said.

Membership without full rights on the first day of accession is nothing new -- most countries from the 2004 enlargement and later faced long transition periods to achieve, for example, the right of their citizens to work across the bloc.

But officials are now floating a model that would include more far-reaching limitations. They acknowledged that it would raise a host of questions beyond Ukraine and would struggle to win the unanimous support required.

"It will be a hard sell," a second EU official said. "It also has an impact on countries that have gone the good old traditional way and are close to accession after doing all the homework, like Montenegro or Albania."

https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/eu-executive-weighs-idea-quick-limited-membership-ukraine/

 

SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpvmPv1ZMqo

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

 

SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU6u3B6l7BQ

KYIV IN CHAOS: Zel Admits Ukrainian Air Defenses Left Empty as West Delays Missiles! | World News

 

SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=witjRQYbjg0

 

SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJq1LWGlTuw

EU admissions....

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

MAKE A DEAL PRONTO BEFORE THE SHIT (WW3) HITS THE FAN:

NO NATO IN "UKRAINE" (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT)

THE DONBASS REPUBLICS ARE NOW BACK IN THE RUSSIAN FOLD — AS THEY USED TO BE PRIOR 1922. THE RUSSIANS WON'T ABANDON THESE AGAIN.

THESE WILL ALSO INCLUDE ODESSA, KHERSON AND KHARKIV.....

CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN — AS IT USED TO BE PRIOR 1954

TRANSNISTRIA TO BE PART OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

RESTORE THE RIGHTS OF THE RUSSIAN SPEAKING PEOPLE OF "UKRAINE" (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT)

RESTITUTE THE ORTHODOX CHURCH PROPERTIES AND RIGHTS

RELEASE THE OPPOSITION MEMBERS FROM PRISON

A MEMORANDUM OF NON-AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE USA.

A MEMORANDUM OF NON-AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE EU.....

EASY.

THE WEST KNOWS IT.

 

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A LOT OF DELIBERATE MISCONCEPTION ABOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN ARE USED TO PROMOTE THE WEST... WE KNOW THAT THE CONFLICT WAS PROVOKED BY UKRAINE (UNDER THE WEST DECEITFUL INSTRUCTION) REFUSAL TO ADMINISTER THE MINSK AGREEMENTS AFTER THE MAIDAN "NAZI" REVOLUTION WHICH HAD BEEN "FINANCED" BY THE USA.

THIS PROVOCATION WAS IN LINE WITH CONTINUING THE 1917 US WISH TO DESTROY RUSSIA...

READ ON.....

 

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'The end of Putin': This is why Ukraine is seeking EU membership and what happens next
The European Union has voted to approve Ukraine's candidacy to become a member state. Here's what it means.

 

Published 24 June 2022
By Tom Canetti

 The leaders of the European Union (EU) have voted unanimously to approve Ukraine's candidacy to become a member of the 27-country bloc, in a move EU President Ursula von der Leyen said showed unity in the face of "Russian imperialism" [GUSNOTE: RUSSIAN EXISTENTIAL SURVIVAL VERSUS AMERICAN IMPERIALISM... RED LINE: NO NATO IN UKRAINE].

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was grateful for the bloc's swift approval, tweeting that "Ukraine's future is within the EU". 

In Ukraine, politics is divided by pro-Europe or pro-Russia stances as opposed to left or right-wing ideology, as witnessed during the Maidan Revolution in 2014. Mr Zelenskyy was elected for his ambition to help Ukraine join the EU and break free from the Kremlin's influence on his country's governance.

But Ukraine is only a candidate, not a member state yet, and there are still hurdles to surpass before Ukrainians join the bloc.Why Ukraine wants EU membershipUkraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko told SBS News that he was excited about the economic opportunities his country would enjoy if it became an EU member state.

"The EU is going to create many opportunities — many opportunities to change the country to build a flourishing society, to boost the economy and to bring more investments," Mr Myroshnychenko said.

"To unlock the funding from the EU — this is so big you cannot even imagine how happy I am personally as an ambassador of Ukraine."

Mr Zelenskyy [GUSNOTE: AN MI6 ASSET] applied for EU membership less than a week after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. 

University of South Australia law lecturer Juliette McIntyre said the request to join the EU was not only about economics and security, but also identity.

"For Ukraine the benefits of EU membership are twofold," Ms McIntyre said.

"First, the same as any other member: benefits such as improved economic stability and growth within the region, and being part of a powerful negotiating bloc. But secondly and probably more importantly in this instance is that EU membership is a tangible sign of a European identity. 

"Given the way that Ukraine is and has been perceived as positioned as fighting for the values of Europe, their candidature can be seen as confirmation of this."

Ms McIntyre said the benefits Ukrainians would see are mainly "easier travel throughout Europe and the economic benefits of being part of the EU system". 

She said as Ukraine is already a member of the Council of Europe and thus the European Court of Human Rights, "not a lot of additional rights in that sense [human rights] will pertain".What is the EU?The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member states around Europe.

It began in the aftermath of World War Two in 1958 under the name, The European Economic Community, consisting of Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The goal was and is to prevent conflict between European countries by fostering greater trade and economic interdependence between member states.

Decisions made at the EU level involve the European Parliament, European Council, The Council (also called the Council of the European Union) and the European Commission, which represents the interests of the EU as a whole.What would Ukrainian membership mean for Russia?Following Thursday's vote, Ms von der Leyen said on Twitter: "This decision strengthens us all."

"It strengthens Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, in the face of Russian imperialism. And it strengthens the EU," she said, referring to the bloc's approval for Moldova's candidacy and a further step towards Georgia's.

"Because it shows once again to the world that we are united and strong in the face of external threats."Ms McIntyre said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be less concerned about EU membership than North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership. But the candidacy of Ukraine and Moldova, a former Soviet state, and the push for Georgia, the home country of Joseph Stalin, was a symbolic defeat for Russia.

"They’re less concerned about this than NATO, because the EU is predominantly an economic organisation rather than a security one," Ms McIntyre said. 

"However, to the extent that Russia’s war is predicated on Putin’s colonialist goals, 'returning' Russian land to Russia, Ukraine’s official candidature has important symbolic ramifications. 

"It is further evidence that Ukraine is not a part of Russia."[GUSNOTE: IT APPEARS THAT THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IS VERY COMMON IN UKRAINE... THIS IS WHY ZELENSKY HAS TRIED TO DESTROY THIS BY BANNING RUSSIAN BOOK, ARTS, MUSIC, CHURCHES,  AND LANGUAGE, ETC. THE DONBASS REGION IS POPULATED BY RUSSIANS MAINLY...] Mr Myroshnychenko said EU membership would be one step closer to ending Mr Putin's regime, which he called an "existential threat".

"The reason he does not want us to join the EU is that it is a threat to Vladimir Putin because if life in Ukraine becomes better than life in Russia, it is the end of Putin, it is the end of his regime," Mr Myroshnychenko said.

"Putin is an existential threat — and that’s the reason why he invaded Ukraine — the reason why he has been damaging Ukraine, killing Ukrainian people, trying to erase our identity, targeting civilians deliberately, deporting people, raping women and kids.

"He just cannot give up on Ukraine because he believes Ukraine should belong to the [former] Russian Empire which he’s striving to revive."

Last week, Mr Putin said he had "nothing against" Ukraine joining the EU.

"We have nothing against it. It's their sovereign decision to join economic unions or not ... It's their business, the business of the Ukrainian people," Mr Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

However, the BBC reported that his spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, says the Kremlin will give the application "increased attention" because the EU is considering forming its own defence force.

"The military, defence and security components are being discussed," Mr Peskov said. "We are, of course, observing it all thoroughly."What are the barriers Ukraine will face?While analysts have described Ukraine's candidacy as a symbolic victory, it is still not a member state, and has to cross off several more steps before becoming one.

The main barriers are the internal conflicts within the country — an assessment made on member state candidates — and economic requirements. 

Mr Myroshnychenko said there is still a long way to go before Ukraine becomes a member state of the bloc.

"It is still going to be a long road ahead but this actually starts the process and we continue with other reforms to qualify for the EU membership, to qualify for the Copenhagen criteria — the membership criteria for joining," Mr Myroshnychenko said.

The Copenhagen criteria require that a state has the institutions to preserve democratic governance and human rights, has a functioning market economy, and accepts the obligations and intent of the EU.

While these requirements may seem difficult for the country to achieve considering the war, the EU's vote to approve its candidacy may suggest they are willing to overlook certain conditions of entry.

 

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-end-of-putin-why-ukraine-is-seeking-eu-membership-and-heres-what-happens-next/0nqikfe9d

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

losses....

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Tsentr battlegroup has eliminated more than 2,835 Ukrainian military personnel over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"During the week, the enemy lost over 2,835 military personnel, three tanks, 30 armored combat vehicles, 60 vehicles, eight field artillery guns and two electronic warfare stations in this area," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine has also lost over 1,665 soldiers in battles with the Vostok battlegroup, over 1,345 soldiers in battles with the Sever battlegroup, over 1,340 soldiers in battles with the Zapad battlegroup, and over 1,140 soldiers in battles with the Yug battlegroup over the past week

Russian armed forces have carried out one massive and six group strikes against targets associated with the Ukrainian armed forces over the past week

https://sputnikglobe.com/20260116/ukraine-loses-over-2835-soldiers-in-battles-with-russias-central-battlegroup--1123471049.html

 

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The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasny Liman area is deplorable, an officer with callsign "Pioneer" from Russia's Zapad Battlegroup says.

"They are holding on only thanks to the 'Baba-Yaga' drones," Pioneer explains, adding Ukraine now only has individual fighters' positions there used as observation posts that are supplied via drones. The drones are identified by Russian forces, which then destroy the position.

To counter the attack drones, Russia deploys first-person view forces and sniper units which provide cover for Russian Armed Forces assault groups, the officer says.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20260117/ukraines-defense-is-collapsing---russian-officer-1123475715.html

 

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READ FROM TOP.

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.