Posted on 10/05/2023 12:13:13 PM PDT by MarMema
The European Union is preparing to launch formal talks on possible Ukrainian accession into the bloc, despite dire warnings by senior officials that the EU might not survive enlargement economically, and lose what’s left of the pan-European project’s political cohesion. Ukraine in its current state is corrupt to the core and absolutely ineligible to join the European Union, former European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said.
"One mustn’t make false promises to the people of Ukraine who are up to their necks in suffering. I am very angry about the presence of some voices in Europe who are telling the Ukrainians that they can become members immediately," Juncker said in an extensive interview with German media on Thursday.
That would not be of any good for the EU nor for Ukraine. Anyone who has anything to do with Ukraine knows that this is a country that is corrupt at all levels of society. Despite its efforts to date, it is not eligible to join, and needs massive internal reforms. We have had bad experiences with some so-called new members, for example when it comes to the rule of law. This cannot be repeated again,” the politician, who served as EC chief between 2014 and 2019, and dealt with Ukraine-related matters repeatedly over that time, added.
"The European prospects for Moldova and Ukraine, which is defending itself so virtuously and defending European values, must be maintained, but must not be linked to a hope that this can be achieved overnight at the push of a button," Juncker said. Instead, he proposed, countries like Ukraine should be able to "take part" in projects aimed at partial integration.
"We should work toward making something like partial accession possible, or an intelligent form of near-enlargement," Juncker proposed, without elaborating.
The former European Commission boss, who warned during his time in office that Ukraine would “certainly not become” an EU member over the next “20 to 25 years,” and that the country was “not European in the sense of the European Union,” repeatedly dashed the hopes of the Euromaidan coup plotters, who overthrew Ukraine’s government in 2014 and launched a civil war in the Donbass to try to set the country on a path to Europe. The crisis escalated into a full-on NATO-sponsored proxy war on Ukrainian territory in 2022 as Moscow attempted to preempt plans by Kiev to reabsorb the Donbass by force. Juncker is the latest high-level European politician to put a damper on Ukraine’s EU prospects amid reports that bloc leaders are planning to initiate formal accession talks before the end of the year, despite the ongoing largescale conflict in the country. Late last month, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola warned that the "economic model" that the bloc has today would not survive enlargement, and proposed a number of stopgap integrative processes short of membership, such as telephone and internet roaming, the lifting of trade barriers, access to some EU funds, Ukrainian access to European universities, etc. European Council President Charles Michel also hinted this week that Ukraine could become a member of the EU no sooner than 2030, and even then only if "both sides do their homework."
"Ukraine and other candidate countries for accession to the EU must actively and steadily carry out reforms, fight corruption and comply with legal conditions," Michel stressed.
Commenting on the bloc’s plans to go ahead with accession talks, University of Fribourg macroeconomics and monetary policy professor Sergio Rossi told Sputnik that in addition to economic problems, an effort to absorb a country as large as Ukraine would undermine the "cohesion between current EU member countries" and potentially exacerbate local nationalisms.
Ukrainian officials announced this week that Kiev has begun work on a unified "Plan of Reforms" up to the year 2027, based on "recommendations and proposals" by Brussels and the International Monetary Fund. Accession to the Ukraine would entitle Kiev to as much as €186 billion euros – a much sought-after boon to the country’s economy, which is desperately searching for new ways to raise money as debt levels approach 100 percent of GDP, foreign donations account for up to 70 percent of the state’s budget, and private creditors knock on Ukraine's door for returns on their 'investment'.
Oh that pristine pure EU.
X-Block Head…
I don’t think that came out the way the writer wanted it to…
Exactly!!!!!!
Their corruption issues is why they were a long, long way from joining NATO.
Everyone knew this years ago. NATO has never been seriously considered for Ukraine.
But...according to Russia, the US was ready to give them the secret NATO handshake and send missiles three miles from the Ruskie border.
Literally three minutes of research citing articles from BEFORE the invasion explains everything you need to know about NATO membership and “Nazis.” Its all such BS Russian propaganda.
How else are they going to wash all their money?
“Their corruption issues is why they were a long, long way from joining NATO.”
Since when has corruption issues precluded joining NATO ?
Because Turkey and Greece want to know.
The Ukrazies are just full of leftist-type tremendous hypocrisy and lies.
One the one hand they hate Russia and want to collapse it and break it up.
Then they argue everyone has to join NATO to protect themselves from Russia.
Then they argue that NATO is not an anti-Russian alliance, and doesn’t have a military aggressive intent toward Russia.
It just reminds me of leftist “Celebration Parallax” arguments where they claim something is not happening. And, actually it is good that it is !
NATO has standards ya know.
So why exactly do you argue in favor of more and more US tax dollars for Ukraine?
Child sex trafficking.
Olena Zelenska Accused Of $1.1m Shopping Spree In NYC
Modern day celebrities are often spotted wearing CARTIER pieces: Angelina Jolie, Kylie Jenner, Lupita Nyong’o and … Olena Zelenska. According to our sources, the wife of Ukrainian president is a diehard Cartier enthusiast. Moreover, she has even visited the famous Cartier Mansion during their visit to NYC to address the United Nations General Assembly, and has reportedly spent $1.100.000 on jewelry.
According to the Cartier store ex-employee, Olena Zelenska visited the boutique during her and her husband’s visit to New York. “I tried to take her on a quick tour, but she wasn’t interested,” the ex-employee further recalls.
Zelenska’s visit to the luxury boutique ended up in a very unexpected manner as she snapped at the employee who was trying to assist her with a “Who said I need your opinion?” rant. After that, according to the boutique ex-worker, Zelenska went further to have a discussion with the manager. The ex-worker has no idea what the discussion was about but the next day she got fired from the boutique.
According to the receipt, Zelenska has purchased a white gold bracelet with diamonds, a white gold necklace with diamonds and emeralds, and white gold earrings with diamonds, which totals $1.100.000.
According to Boukari Ouédraogo, who reached out to the ex-employee, she says she wouldn’t have gone public if Zelenska “had just spent all those stolen money and moved forward to the next luxury brand store.” However, the decision of the Ukrainian president’s wife to ruin the girl’s career for no reason has really pissed her off.
LOLOL
But, but, but... the worthless private school brats of American 'elties' get great jobs there... jobs that pay $60, 000 A MONTH... no experience needed and no one has to speak Ukrainian. What about them?
Centuries of subjugation to Moscow taught Ukrainians everything they know about corruption. Can’t expect them to get well overnight.
Seems the student is more corrupt than the teacher.
Wow. If that article is true, it sounds like Olena Zelenska is a Class-A beeyotch.
Not that I find that surprising.
A fascinating comment, complete with information, references and citations to bolster your point-of-view, and clear, concise elements of rational debate. < s a r c >
So many of your contributions to threads seems to consist of colored pom-poms and doing the virtual splits to cheer for and/or against something -- or the other. < yet more s a r c >
Thanks for the robust debate and new elements introduced to further discussion. < and even more s a r c >
"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours." - Richard Bach
I argue for more bullets and bombs to kill your boyfriends. Is that wrong? LOL
Here we go again. Biden made that accusation when he wanted the prosecutor investigating his son’s company fired. Biden claimed that everybody wanted the prosecutor fired, but that’s not true. People in both the U.S. government and the EU said that the efforts to fight corruption in Ukraine were going well.
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