Ukraine is unlikely to ever be admitted to the European Union, as the move will be strongly opposed by its members, Jeffrey Sachs, an American economist and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, told TASS news agency.
"If Ukraine actually applied for membership practically, not just rhetorically, it would likely face huge opposition," He remarked. "For example, in Poland or Hungary or other Eastern European countries, where they would say, my God, Ukraine will compete with our farmers. Ukraine will compete with our other industries."
According to Sachs. "while the idea of Ukraine becoming a member of the EU has long been encouraging to Europe, when it comes to practice it will be met with great resistance".
The same, he said, applies to Moldova and other countries of the former Soviet Union and the Western Balkans. "So in that sense, I should not mince my words on EU enlargement. The EU is in a very difficult situation. There is great dissent and opposition in Europe. And so it may happen that any country that applies to join the EU may be supported in theory but opposed when it comes to practice," he explained.
Five countries are applying for EU membership - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey. The EU also lists the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo among them. One of the criteria for admission to the EU is that the candidate countries must bring their foreign policy into full compliance with Brussels' foreign policy, i.e. together with 100 % of its foreign policy resolutions and declarations in which the candidate countries have no say.
TASS/gnews.cz - cik
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