While the European Commission will likely recommend next week that Ukraine be granted candidate status, Denmark and the Netherlands may block this step toward EU membership, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Danish officials are reportedly concerned about Ukraine’s track record of corruption and the rule of law.
Ukraine applied to join the European Union in February, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated in April that a decision on formally bestowing candidate status on Kiev could be made within “a matter of weeks.” While the commission is expected to deliver its opinion on Ukraine’s candidacy next week, and while EU leaders are expected to discuss the matter in Brussels one week later, the process may not be as streamlined as von der Leyen has promised.
A number of anonymous officials told Bloomberg that while a majority of the EU’s member states are willing to support candidate status for Ukraine, some – including the Netherlands – are in opposition.