The Chancellor of Austria proposes an “intermediate stage” for Ukraine on its way to the EU

Austrian Chancellor Karl Negammer called for an intermediate stage between cooperation and full membership in the European Union for Ukraine and Moldova.

This was reported by Reuters.

The so-called "preparatory space" will allow countries to meet European Union standards, such as the European Economic Area or the European Free Trade Agreement, Nehammer said.

"Currently, Ukraine is fighting for its political and territorial survival. All our efforts are primarily aimed at ending the Russian war of aggression. In such a phase, a quick full accession to the union cannot be a pressing issue anyway," said the Austrian Chancellor.

Nehammer added that Ukraineʼs rapid accession to the European Union was "not realistic."

"We should create a European preparatory space, which will make it possible to strengthen cooperation with the EU step by step and to better adapt to European standards," he said.

Nehammer also recalled that Austria had followed a similar path for decades before joining the EU in 1995.

• At its next summit in June, European Union leaders will consider Ukraineʼs application for EU membership.
• The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has proposed a new alliance with Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic states, and possibly Turkey.