Borrell Says Ukraine's Accession to EU Will Take Time as Other Candidates Waited for Long

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that Ukraine's request to become a part of the European Union will "take its time and pace" as there are many other countries with candidate status which made a significant progress in becoming member countries.

"Ukraine has presented a demand to be considered a candidate country as others, as Moldavia, as Georgia. These demands will take their pace, their time, their procedures, but there are other countries who have been waiting for long, who have been fulfilling all its commitments, all the requirements, and now it's time, and I hope when there is a will, there is a way, that these events will catalyse a quick answer," Borrell told a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

On 28 February, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the EU with a call to "stop the long-term discussions" and accept Ukraine into the union amid Russia's military operation. Later that day, Zelenskyy signed a formal request for the country to join the EU under the past-track procedure.

On 24 February, Russia began a military operation to "demilitarize and denazify Ukraine," responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In response, the United States, the United Kingdom, members of the European Union and several other countries imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russia.