EU Commission backs candidate standing for Ukraine

The government arm of the European Union advisable Friday that Ukraine be granted candidate standing to at some point be a part of the 27-nation bloc.

The promise of membership in a union created to safeguard peace on the continent holds deep symbolism for the nation at struggle. But it’s only step one in a course of that would take a long time.

And it didn’t silence the weapons and artillery that proceed to kill civilians and flatten cities in addition to sending tens of millions fleeing from their properties since Russia launched its invasion of its neighbor on Feb. 24.

Russia pressed its assaults on cities in Ukraine’s japanese Donbas area, leaving determined residents struggling to make sense of what the subsequent years maintain for them.

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“We are old people, we do not have a place to go. Where will I go?” requested Vira Miedientseva, one of many aged residents grappling with the aftermath of at assault Thursday in Lysychansk, which lies simply throughout the river from Sievierodonesk, a key focus of battles in latest weeks that Russians have almost captured.

The European Commission suggestion is step one on the lengthy street towards membership and comes a day after 4 European Union leaders vowed to again Kyiv’s candidacy. The suggestion might be mentioned by leaders of the 27-nation bloc throughout a summit subsequent week in Brussels. Launching accession talks requires unanimous approval from all member international locations.

The struggle has elevated stress on EU governments to fast-track Ukraine’s candidate standing. But the method nonetheless is predicted to take years, and EU members stay divided over how shortly and totally to open their arms to new members.