The date is Feb 28, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the nation's application to join the European Union on Monday after asking the bloc to quickly admit the nation as a member.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, was in the European Council in June.
Zelensky signed the application after appealing to the EU in a video Monday that called for Ukraine's immediate accession under a new special procedure.
It takes Croatia, the most recent EU member, a long time to join the EU because it takes prospective countries to first fulfill set criteria, like establishing a free-market economy and accepting EU legislation and the euro.
The president of the European Council told Euronews that there are differing opinions and sensitivities within the EU regarding Ukraine's membership.
EU leaders so far don't seem to be on board with the idea of creating a new track that would allow Ukraine to join the EU quickly.
EU members are bound by a mutual defense clause that requires them to aid a country if it is attacked.
Admission to the bloc would benefit Ukraine economically and give them additional benefits, like Ukrainians having free movement throughout the bloc and being granted the variety of rights afforded to EU citizens.
Even the EU just moving forward with Ukraine's application could be beneficial, former European leaders noted in an op-ed through the Atlantic Council.
The European Council is holding a summit on March 10 and 11 in which it is likely to discuss Ukraine's potential membership, a senior EU official said Monday.
Zelensky said in an address on his Facebook page that his goal was to be with all Europeans and to be equal. I think we deserve it. I am confident that this is possible.
Zelensky said in 2020 that Ukrainians want to live in European Ukraine, and that the country already has an association agreement with the EU that allows for free trade. As the EU and the West move to punish Russia, the bloc has shied away from membership discussions, so as not to antagonize Moscow. The EU has already imposed significant sanctions on Russia and lent its support to Ukraine through other measures, such as funding and delivering weapons to Ukraine for the first time in the bloc's history and directing members to give Ukrainian refugees temporary asylum for up to three years. The EU and its hostile actions have been criticized by the Kremlin.
Russian billionaire Oligarchs are subject to EU sanctions.
EU eyes Ukrainian membership, could be bargaining chip in Russia talks.
What Ukraine needs now.
Ursula von der Leyen tells Euronews that they want Ukraine to join the EU.
There are doubts over whether all EU nations support Ukraine joining the bloc.
Ukraine wants to join the EU. Here is how that would work.
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