Dmytro Kuleba: the EU must grant Ukraine membership now

The author is international minister of Ukraine

For 2 weeks now, Ukraine, a European nation, has been defending itself in opposition to brutal aggression by Russia. The individuals of Ukraine are heroically preventing for his or her homeland, their identification, their freedom and their proper to exist.

As we speak, our nation leads the entire of Europe and the free world. We weren’t afraid to take up the struggle in opposition to one of many largest armies in existence. The Russians have struck us with all the ability they’ll muster from each course within the hope that they’d eradicate unbiased Ukraine in just some days.

But we’ve not faltered. In two weeks, regardless of utilizing all of his navy may to destroy our nation, Vladimir Putin has not been in a position to obtain any of the strategic objectives of his invasion. Neither Kyiv, our capital metropolis, nor Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro or virtually another main metropolis has been captured.

Ukraine is bleeding, but it surely has not fallen and it’ll not fall. I’m assured that our nation will prevail, thanks partially to the help of our worldwide companions. We can defend ourselves. The query is: at what value?

What Ukrainians safeguard at the moment shouldn’t be solely our land, but in addition the values we stand for. At the same time as we defend the imaginative and prescient of Europe as complete, free and at peace, we reject the imaginative and prescient of it as a chilly warfare battleground of ideologies partitioned into varied spheres of affect.

These occasions are really darkish and historic. The actions we take now might be remembered ceaselessly, a technique or one other. Future generations will choose all of us — each politician, each chief, each nation. Names might be indelibly related to the deeds performed and the phrases mentioned at this vital juncture.

Because of this we have to search large, historic options. Ukraine, its president Volodymyr Zelensky and its individuals have already made their option to struggle for good in opposition to evil, irrespective of how tough, bloody and scary this wrestle could also be. That is what we stand for and we is not going to abandon our core values.

Ukraine has now utilized for swift membership of the EU and I’m grateful to the European Parliament for supporting our candidacy. Standing ovations for Zelensky on that day supplied a second of unity, solidarity and ethical uplift for the Ukrainian individuals, in addition to a lift to the European spirit.

Sure, we’re in a particularly tough state of affairs proper now. That is clearly not the traditional EU accession course of, which generally lasts for years and focuses on technical and financial particulars. However the determination to grant Ukraine EU membership may very well be a defining victory for Europe and all of its nations, all of its leaders. After they take such a choice, all Europeans will really feel pleased with it — pleased with standing on the correct facet of historical past and of creating an ethical alternative for the ages.

I now wish to handle these sceptics who nonetheless suppose that Ukraine’s EU membership is a matter that ought to have something to do with Russia. In truth, Putin himself is fixated on our Nato aspirations, not on our accession to the EU. The concept granting Ukraine membership of the bloc now will worsen the present state of affairs is unpersuasive. I urge those that have held this view to desert it.

The proposal to offer Ukraine with EU membership is earlier than us and I strongly urge my colleagues in European capitals to provide it the inexperienced gentle. This step would offer an infinite injection of hope to the Ukrainian individuals. In these darkish occasions, we want this hope greater than ever. Opinion polls recommend that the transfer is supported by a majority of EU residents. EU leaders are in a position to make it occur.

Our membership would considerably fortify the EU. As we speak, Ukraine is a powerful power for good, a courageous and clever nation which can contribute significantly to the political, financial, cultural and social energy of the EU after this warfare is over. It will likely be a matter of status, in addition to energy, for the EU to have a member like us.

The time to make selections is now. We now have made ours. Leaders of the EU, it’s your flip to make historical past.