European Commission on Ukraine's EU accession: screening is taking place at an unprecedented speed
Source: European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier at a briefing on 22 April in Brussels, answering a question from a European Pravda journalist
Details: Mercier stressed that the EU enlargement process is a priority for the European Commission, and Ukraine is making steady progress towards the EU, in particular, demonstrating the highest screening rate in the history of enlargement.
"Indeed, what I can say is that enlargement remains a top priority for this Commission. And we opened negotiations with Ukraine in June 2024. And Ukraine is making steady progress towards EU accession. So we are now in this process of going through all the bilateral screenings of the different European clusters", he said.
"When it comes to Ukraine, we have followed this accelerated path, meaning that the screening process is going at a speed that we have never seen before, because experts from the Commission as well are working closely with the Ukrainian counterparts to make sure that this screening process can go as fast as possible", Mercier added.
The spokesman specified that "we'll continue [the screening process – ed.] until the autumn".
Mercier confirmed that Ukraine is ready to open the first negotiating cluster, Fundamentals, but that this requires the consent of all 27 EU member states.
"Ukraine has fulfilled all the conditions to open the first cluster on the fundamentals, but this requires, obviously, as you said, the agreement from all the member states", he said.
The opening of the first cluster of the negotiations was blocked by Hungary, which put forward additional conditions regarding the rights of Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
Mercier added that "this discussion is happening in the Council".
"What the Commission is doing is really to help and support Ukraine as much as possible in all the possible ways, meaning technical, political and financial support. We continue to do so, and we'll continue to also engage with all the member states", he stressed.
Background:
Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had reached the fastest pace of the accession process among all of the countries that have ever sought to become an EU member.
In February 2025, Hungary blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine and promised to block the opening of subsequent clusters until it held "consultations" with the Hungarian population on this issue.
The "consultations", which are accompanied by manipulations and lies on the part of the Hungarian government, are due to end in late June.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
20 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Trashed in Scotland's Biggest Newspaper: 'Menace'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's visit to Scotland has drawn intense criticism from Scotland's largest newspaper, The Daily Record, which called him a "menace" in an editorial while also urging U.K. leaders to pursue pragmatic engagement for the sake of long-term relations. Newsweek contacted Trump's team for a response to the report via email. Why It Matters The comments come after Scottish police have told Newsweek a "significant" operation was being planned in expectation of protests against Trump during his time in Scotland, where he will visit his newest golf course. In 2018, thousands of protesters gathered when Trump visited his Scottish golf courses during his first term. President Donald Trump reacts as he plays a round of golf at Trump Turnberry golf course on July 27, 2025 in Turnberry, Scotland. President Donald Trump reacts as he plays a round of golf at Trump Turnberry golf course on July 27, 2025 in Turnberry, Scotland. Getty Images What To Know On the eve of Trump's five-day trip to Scotland, The Daily Record published a strong editorial criticizing his actions. The newspaper described Trump as a "menace who has caused chaos at home and abroad," referencing his refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, perceived support for protesters involved in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and his public statements regarding foreign leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The editorial also said that Trump's status as a "convicted felon" was contributing to Scottish protesters' outrage. Despite these criticisms, the paper urged leaders such as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney to maintain engagement with Trump for economic and diplomatic reasons, citing decades-long U.S.-UK security ties and potential leverage on international issues such as tariffs and foreign conflicts. What People Are Saying Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International, said in a press release sent to Newsweek: "The Trump family has a deep affection for Scotland, not only as the home of golf, but as the ancestral home of President Trump's beloved mother, Mary Anne MacLeod. We are therefore delighted to confirm that we are planning the creation of a memorial garden in honor of Mary Anne MacLeod as a fitting tribute to her name and legacy." Born on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, MacLeod moved to the U.S. in 1930 and became a naturalized citizen in March 1942. What Happens Next Trump's visit is expected to draw protests throughout Scotland, as noted by The Daily Record. U.K. and Scottish leaders face the challenge of balancing domestic opposition to Trump's policies and character with the need to maintain and potentially strengthen critical U.S.-UK relationships.
New York Post
21 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump's Aug. 1 tariff deadline is set in stone, Lutnik says: ‘No extensions, no more grace periods'
President Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs — set to kick in Friday — are set in stone this time and will not be delayed again, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set; they'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money, and off we go,' Lutnick said on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'Obviously, after Aug. 1, people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen, and between now and then, I think the president is going to talk to a lot of people. Whether they can make him happy is another question.' Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff rate on all imports to the US and announced a set of customs rates against virtually every country on the planet during his April 2 'Liberation Day' push. The customized tariff rates were slated to take effect on April 9, but then got delayed 90 days and then postponed again until Aug. 1. 3 Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there won't be a grace period for the Aug. 1 tariff deadline. Fox News 3 President Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs are set to kick in on Aug. 1 for countries that didn't cut a deal with him. Getty Images In the time since, Trump has announced preliminary trade deals with the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Additionally, the Trump administration reached a tariff truce with China and set an Aug. 12 deadline to cut a broader deal. Lutnick stressed that Trump is prioritizing the 'big economies' right now. That includes the European Union. Trump met with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday during his four-day trip to the United Kingdom. 'We set the table. The team sets the table. But Donald Trump does his negotiations by himself,' he emphasized. The EU is a bloc of 27 countries that, taken together, is one of America's largest sources of trade. Negotiations with the EU have proven to be lengthy and tricky for Trump. Trump has a variety of tariffs in place now, such as a 25% rate on automobiles, aluminum, and steel, as well as 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico that don't comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He's also recently mused about jacking up tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Lutnick touted the revenue gains from those tariffs. 3 President Trump has endeavored to overhaul US trade relations during his second term. AP 'What's going to happen is very few products are actually going to move in price,' he predicted. 'And basically $700 billion, $800 billion, maybe it's possible we get near a trillion dollars of revenue, will come into the United States of America, reducing our deficit.' 'What do you think is paying for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, right?' he added. 'I think if you take a look at the whole thing, it's going to be fantastic.' Trump has also flexed tariffs in the geopolitical realm. On Saturday, he spoke with the leaders and Cambodia and Thailand, informing them that US trade negotiations will stop unless they cease fighting over a long-contested section of the border. On July 15, the president also threatened Russia with 100% secondary tariffs on Russian oil if it fails to make a deal with neighboring Ukraine. That threat could complicate US trade relations with China and India in particular, which have been taking advantage of cheap Russian oil due to the sanctions on Moscow.
Politico
22 minutes ago
- Politico
'Donaldddddd': Foreign leaders schmooze Trump on his personal cell
Those leaders include French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Trump will meet for a round of golf in Scotland on Monday, according to the person and two others familiar with the calls. The three, like others in this story, were granted anonymity to discuss private talks. The informality of these conversations, although hardly different from the off-the-cuff style Trump often showcases in public settings, can still be striking to aides listening on the other end of the line. A person familiar with one of the president's conversations with Macron recalled the two leaders 'bro-ing out' as they greeted one another. 'It was oddly amusing — Trump would say 'Emmanuellllll' and really draw out the l and then Macron would go, 'Donaldddddd' and draw out the d,' they recalled. 'And it sort of went back and forth.' Foreign officials credit their ability to adapt to Trump's freewheeling style to improved personal relationships, which, they say, is leading to more favorable outcomes. One European official pointed to last month's NATO leaders summit in The Netherlands where Trump announced that he'd changed his mind about the alliance after meeting with cohorts he lauded as 'great leaders.' He told reporters that he was departing feeling 'differently' and had determined that the cause of European security was 'not a rip off.' And since then he has agreed to authorize more defense aid for Ukraine so long as Europe foots the bill. 'There's less friction and more alignment in some cases,' said the European official. 'Some of that is the result of a lot of leaders being more hands-on with Trump, and, yes, more solicitous in private.'
