EU starts considering membership bids from Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova

The EU started a written procedure concerning bids by Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova to join the bloc, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union said on Twitter on Monday.

"Launch of a written procedure for the Council to validate draft letters seeking the opinion of the EU Commission," the presidency said.

The EU commission has to present an opinion on each of the applications. The 27 current members must then agree to extend the status of candidates to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which is required before protracted and complicated talks may start.

One of the conditions for considering an application for EU membership is political stability of a country and the viability of its economy. The procedure consists of many steps. Candidate countries must carry out reforms to achieve European standards. French political circles do not rule out that the issue of starting negotiations on granting Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova candidate status may be raised at the EU summit to be held in Versailles on March 10-11.

At the end of February, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky asked the EU for immediate accession. After that, the country's Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said that Ukraine is applying for EU membership under a special procedure. On February 28, the leaders of Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Estonia urged for Ukraine's accession to the EU to happen as soon as possible. On March 1, European Parliament members called on the union’s institutions to work on granting Ukraine a membership candidate status.

On March 3, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili during a live television broadcast signed an application for the country to seek the status of a candidate to join the European Union. Following Ukraine and Georgia, Moldovan President Maia Sandu sent an appeal for admission to the EU.