EU Needs New Cooperation Model for Ukraine, Without Accession, Austrian Foreign Minister Says

VIENNA (Sputnik) - Kiev and Brussels need a new model of cooperation, which would not imply full membership of Ukraine in the European Union, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said.

"Apart from full membership, an association agreement and accession to the European Economic Area, a new model of cooperation should be developed," Schallenberg was quoted by Austrian newspaper Heute as saying.

Speaking about relations with Ukraine, the Austrian minister called for more flexibility, and also recalled the experience of the Western Balkan nations, which have covered a longer way to get their candidate status for EU accession.

Ukraine applied for EU membership on 28 February, shortly after Russia launched its military operation. On 18 April, President Volodymyr Zelensky handed Ukraine's questionnaire for obtaining the EU candidate status to EU Ambassador in Ukraine Matti Maasikas. Ukraine’s application was followed by Georgia and Moldova, which decided to fast-track submission of their applications and similarly received the EU questionnaire in mid-April.

On 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow.