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EU enlargement is a hope for Ukraine and Moldova, and a challenge for Europe

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

22.11.2023

Today 22 November, a conference on European Union enlargement is held in Tallinn, discussing the possible next steps in Ukraine and Moldova, which received the recommendation for launching accession talks, as well as in the Western Balkans.

Speakers included Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov, as well as Dirk Schuebel, Special Envoy of the Eastern Partnership of the European External Action Service; Stela Leucă, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova; and Daniela Gitman, State Secretary of the Ministry of European Affairs of Romania. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Chaplain Serhiy "Padre" Dmytriyev from the Armed Forces of Ukraine will attend via video.

"The geopolitical reality of the world changed on 24 February last year," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in his opening speech of the conference, adding that EU enlargement now had a historic window of opportunity. "Russian President Vladimir Putin is the best salesman for European Union and NATO enlargement. Estonia supports the enlargement process of the European Union because its aim is to ensure peace and security in Europe. With the recommendation of the European Commission, we have taken a historic step in that direction."

"As expected, the European Commission has recommended opening accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and for Georgia the advance to candidate status, on the ground that they should be able to satisfy the remaining conditions set by the Commission in June 2022. For Ukraine especially this is a huge encouragement, good news at this difficult time. I expect the European Council to endorse this at its next meeting in December," Steven Blockmans, Director of the Conference and Senior Fellow at the International Centre for Defence and Security, said.

The conference will discuss how we can ensure that EU enlargement will proceed as these countries expect, that applicants continue to reform, and that these reforms are visible. The focus will also be on the institutional and policy reforms required for the EU to absorb candidate countries, and on what is a realistic timeframe.

The conference on EU enlargement is organised jointly by the International Centre for Defence and Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Estonia and the embassies of Sweden and Romania.