European Parliament to recommend that EU leaders grant candidate status to Ukraine

The European Parliament will recommend that the EU Heads of State or Government, who will meet at the summit on June 23-24, 2022, grant EU candidate status to Ukraine and provide weapons in line with the needs expressed by the Ukrainian authorities.

The relevant statement was made by Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs David McAllister at a plenary session of the European Parliament on the EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

McAllister outlined eight European Parliament’s recommendations for the EU summit participants. They are related to the situation in Ukraine.

“We recommend that Ukraine be provided, without delay, with weapons in line with the needs expressed by the Ukrainian authorities and be granted EU candidate status as a clear political sign of solidarity with the people of Ukraine,” McAllister said.

The European Parliament also recommended that comprehensive monitoring of EU sanctions and their implementation be ensured.

According to McAllister, the world is going through a period of geopolitical redefinition. The issues raised by Russia’s war against Ukraine go far beyond the tragic situation we are currently witnessing and where Europe as a whole is challenged, McAllister noted.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated that the EU should be immediately provided with means and tools to respond adequately to global strategic competition and complex security issues.