Macron proposes ‘European political community’

Published May 10, 2022
Macron said the bloc, “given its level of integration and ambition” could not be Europe’s only organising body.—AFP
Macron said the bloc, “given its level of integration and ambition” could not be Europe’s only organising body.—AFP

STRASBOURG: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday it would take “decades” for a candidate like Ukraine to join the EU and suggested building a broader political community of democratic states around the bloc.

“Even if we gave them candidate status tomorrow,” he said of Ukraine, “we all know perfectly well that the process of allowing them to join would take several years, in truth doubtless several decades.” But, noting the urgency of giving Ukraine and other EU hopefuls like Moldova and Georgia a place in the heart of Europe, he called for the creation of “European political community”.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, in part to thwart Kyiv’s tilt towards integration with the EU and Nato, and Georgia and Moldova are also partly occupied by Moscow’s troops.

Just ahead of Macron’s speech, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that the EU executive would give its “opinion” on Ukraine’s membership bid next month.

But Macron, in a speech endorsing calls for a treaty change to further strengthen the EU’s federal integration, said the bloc, “given its level of integration and ambition” could not be Europe’s only organising body.

“It is our historic obligation ... to create what I would describe before you today as a European political community,” he said.

Published in Dawn,May 10th, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.