“CANDIDATE STATUS TO UKRAINE WAS THE BEST DECISION THAT THE EU COULD HAVE TAKEN” – EP PRESIDENT ROBERTA METSOLA

How did you first learn about Ukraine? At what age? How was it? What were your first impressions? Can you describe this moment?

I seem to remember that the first time I heard about Ukraine was, like many, during a geography lesson at school. Back then, I would have never imagined that Ukraine and its people would one day represent the embodiment of the fight for democratic values in the European Union. The first time I visited Ukraine was on 1 April this year. It was then that I made a promise to President Zelenskyy to return with my family once Ukraine has won the war.

How did you learn about the beginning of the full-scale war? What were your first thoughts and actions (did you anticipate it)? How was this day in the European Parliament different from others? Have you noticed the consolidation of forces around the Ukrainian issue? Perhaps some pro-Russian politicians have moved to the side of Ukraine?

I will never forget 24 February 2022. It is a date that will be etched in my mind forever. It was with shock and incredulity that I heard the news of the attack on Ukraine. Although some countries – the Baltics, Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland – had been warning us for some time, we did not foresee what Putin was truly capable of. That is why from the moment Putin’s tanks rolled into the territory of independent and sovereign Ukraine, we immediately changed our way of relating to Russia and called for the strongest sanctions possible. It was clear to us that the European Parliament’s position on this had to be firm: to stand with Ukraine.

But this date will also remain marked in my memory because of the unprecedented display of European unity. In the face of adversity, our Europe has grown stronger than ever. And we are ready to go further still to defend our values, the same values for which the Ukrainian people are fighting for.

The Ukrainian flags hanging near the EU Parliament for a week were an unprecedented case when the flags of one state took the place of all others. Whose idea was it, and was it challenging to find support?

The European Parliament, over which I have the responsibility of presiding, wanted to make it clear that the European Union firmly supports Ukraine with a strong image of unity. It was also important for us to show that our promises of hope and our political support can also result in tangible outcomes, outcomes like military and financial assistance that have helped and continue to be helping our Ukrainian friends on the ground.

In your view, what is the main challenge Ukraine will face on its path to becoming an EU member? How can we overcome it?

Granting candidate status to Ukraine was the best decision that the European Union could have taken. It has not only given hope to Ukrainians but more tangibly, it will provide Ukraine with momentum for reforms and access to EU programmes. Of course, accession remains a merit-based and structured process and each country has its own course, so Ukraine will have to work hard to fulfil all the criteria and implement all the reforms necessary to first start the negotiations and ultimately to become a fully-fledged EU Member State. I have a lot of confidence in the Ukrainian government and believe that it is firmly on the right track. If the pace with which Ukraine answered all the questions required before being granted candidate status is anything to go by, then you are going to beat every record on the way.