Embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the European Union (EU) to grant Ukraine membership under a special procedure immediately.
According to EU officials, despite the gravity of the situation, Zelenskyy’s plea was unlikely to be heard.
The Ukrainian President’s appeal came on February 28 "for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure".
"Our goal is to be with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be equal. I'm sure that's fair. I am sure we deserve it,” he said in a video speech shared on social media.
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Zelenskyy’s appealEU officials, however, said that no such fast-track procedure for integration into the EU exists.Overall, the consensus has been that Ukraine’s deep-seated corruption could make it hard for the country to win the 27-country European alliance.
Former Indian envoy to Moscow and deputy NSA, Pankaj Saran, had earlier told Moneycontrol that Ukraine’s past record has not endeared itself to other countries in Europe.The Russian onslaught could, however, change perceptions, if not facilitate a membership of the EU.
Human rights in Ukraine remains a highly contested topic and in 2018, the country was labelled as "partly free’ by organisations such as Freedom House.
In 2015, the country was labelled `Partly Free’. According to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as of 2015, elections in Ukraine generally respect democratic process, but additional efforts were needed to enhance public confidence.
According to the Human Rights Watch report for 2014, both sides violated the laws of war during the then war in Donbas, one of the points cited by Russia for its current invasion.
The government imposed excessive restrictions on freedom of media and sexual diversity is not fully respected. On 21 May 2015, the Verkhovna Rada or the local legislature of Ukraine, passed a resolution declaring the suspension of conventions for Human Rights in the eastern Donbas region.EU standStill, in an interview with Euronews last weekend, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, “We want them in the European Union."German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said joining the 27-nation group is not something that can be done in a couple of months, but Ukraine is part of the "house of Europe" in which it is welcome.
With the election of Zelenskyy in 2019, things have much improved in Ukraine. Reports of torture and ill-treatment by police persisted during 2007. Of major concern were inhumane conditions in detention with overcrowded cells, appalling sanitary conditions and the lack of appropriate medical care. During the year numerous group suicide attempts took place in some penal colonies.
In 2014, Amnesty International had published a report on the abduction, detention, and torture of civilians in eastern Ukraine. It detailed what was happening to the poor at the hands of corrupt officials, and the failure of the Ukrainian authorities to conduct the necessary investigations into human rights violations.
Read also: Russia-Ukraine conflict: FAQs and quick answers
Torture in 2016Fresh evidence of torture was published in May 2016. According to Ivan Simonovic, UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, both Ukrainian authorities and the authorities of separatist Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics allow torture and run secret jails, and “disregard for human rights” had become entrenched and systemic.The country’s record under President Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych (2010-2014) , who was backed by the Russians, was something that could not have qualified it to become a member of the EU.Complex processPotential members usually take years to weave their way through the long and complex process of reaching EU standards through deep-seated reforms in several policy areas.Those reforms often need to be accompanied by economic and financial changes to show a country is sound enough to compete in the EU and eventually adopt the euro.
The European countries are aware of the tenuous situation now.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters that any bid for membership could take ‘a lot of years’, but Zelenskyy's plea did find favour in Prague, where Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said, “We must clearly signal at this moment that Ukraine is welcome in the European community of democratic states.”
The presidents of eight Eastern European countries -- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia -- signed a letter on February 28 saying Ukraine “deserves receiving an immediate EU accession perspective”.
Yardsticks for admissionThe EU yardsticks for admitting new members are rather highbrow. Members are admitted only when they can demonstrate they will be able to play their part fully as members, namely by:*complying with all the EU's standards and rules.*having the consent of the EU institutions and EU member states.*having the consent of their citizens – as expressed through approval in their national parliaments or by referendum.The Treaty on the European Union states that any European country may apply for membership if it respects the democratic values of the EU and is committed to promoting them.The first major step is for the country to meet the key criteria for accession. Defined at the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993 - and hence referred to as 'Copenhagen criteria' – the countries wishing to join need to have:*stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.*a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU.*the ability to take on and implement the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.
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