EU’s Charles Michel: We must be ready by 2030
The European Union needs to respond to current geopolitical chaos with further expansion, European Council chief Charles Michel told Polish daily Rzeczpospolita.
European Council President Charles Michel speaks during a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels, Belgium.Photo: EPA/PAP/OLIVIER HOSLET
In an exclusive interview published on Thursday, he said he believes that more countries in the bloc would enhance its international significance.
Reflecting on developments two decades after the EU’s largest enlargement, Michel noted that the bloc now faces similar challenges as in 2004.
„Given the ongoing geopolitical turmoil, including due to Russia’s war against Ukraine, our strategy should be reunification”, Michel said as quoted by Poland’s PAP news agency.
He elaborated: „Just imagine the situation in February 2022, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, had we not expanded previously. We would have been just 15 nations, facing weaker neighboring states in terms of prosperity and institutional strength.”
He further speculated on the potential consequences of delayed expansion, envisioning EU member states as targets of ideological and political repression by the Kremlin.
Referring to the Western Balkans, he emphasized that he is not saying that the Community will expand within the next few year, but „we must be ready by 2030.”
„If we delay for decades, as has been the case over the last 20 years, we are sending a message to China, Russia, and perhaps some countries in the Gulf that this is a playground for them in our immediate neighborhood,” Michel told Rzeczpospolita
The European Council President also pointed out that another issue is Ukraine, which is a larger country, and the challenge is especially in the agricultural sector. In his opinion, „a different transition path” will be needed in this case, which has not been applied before.
According to Michel, Ukraine’s accession to the EU market will encourage European companies to invest in the country.
(mo)
Source: PAP
