The European Union must open the path of accession for Ukraine and Moldova and give Kyiv all the help it needs to be victorious in its war with Russia and rebuild afterwards, Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Friday.
Duda was speaking in Vilnius where he was marking the upcoming 20th anniversary of Poland and Lithuania joining the EU. He and his Lithuanian counterpart, Gitanas Nausėda, were attending a conference titled ‘The Idea of Europe Forum’ at the city’s Vytautas Magnus University, whereheld to celebrate celebration of the anniversary was held.
“For 20 years, our nations have participated in the European community,” Duda said at the event. “It was a clear, unambiguous and fundamental choice. For us, EU membership is a permanent and lasting anchoring in the world of the West. We hope to co-create and reinforce the European space of freedom, security and development.”
The president went on to say membership of the bloc was a sovereign decision by both Poland and Lithuania and one that had resulted in “an economic leap, increased trade, and ambitious entry to international markets” as well as infrastructural developments and a “multiplication of our societies’ prosperity.”
Asked about the biggest challenges currently facing the EU, President Duda replied that it was to make the same opportunities available to prospective new members.
“Unfortunately, today our reality is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the potential threat of a Russian invasion of other countries,” he said, adding that “we really must open the door of the EU to Ukraine and Moldova.”
“Despite the war and the potential hardships related to the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, we must cope with this burden,” he said, arguing that the EU must help Ukraine rebuild and become in the future a full member of the bloc in the future.
“For 20 years, our nations have participated in the European community,” Duda said at the event. “It was a clear, unambiguous and fundamental choice. For us, EU membership is a permanent and lasting anchoring in the world of the West. We hope to co-create and reinforce the European space of freedom, security and development.”
The president went on to say membership of the bloc was a sovereign decision by both Poland and Lithuania and one that had resulted in “an economic leap, increased trade, and ambitious entry to international markets” as well as infrastructural developments and a “multiplication of our societies’ prosperity.”
Asked about the biggest challenges currently facing the EU, President Duda replied that it was to make the same opportunities available to prospective new members.
“Unfortunately, today our reality is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the potential threat of a Russian invasion of other countries,” he said, adding that “we really must open the door of the EU to Ukraine and Moldova.”
“Despite the war and the potential hardships related to the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, we must cope with this burden,” he said, arguing that the EU must help Ukraine rebuild and become in the future a full member of the bloc in the future.
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