President of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics
The Latvian president said that in the issue of enlargement “we must not forget about Moldova”.
“We need to take into account the western Balkans. I agree: the EU has lost credibility in this region. We have repeatedly promised these countries membership, for example North Macedonia. We have been discussing joining the EU for a very long time. And we cannot forget about Moldova. Yes, it is a small country. But if Ukraine joins the EU, Moldova should be accepted as well. So it’s not just about Ukraine, but perhaps the biggest act of reunification in Europe. But probably under different rules,” Rinkevics said.
He noted that European leaders have not yet taken to naming specific dates for the new wave of EU enlargement:
“I agree that Ukraine should be in the EU. And the date should be specific. I have talked to many EU leaders, and today there is no readiness to name a specific date”.
At the same time, President Latvi also noted that a lot depends on a peace deal with Russia, and if Moscow does not agree to an agreement, the implementation of the EU enlargement plans will be difficult.
“I cannot envision a deal in 2026. If I am wrong, I will be happy to admit my mistake, but so far I don’t see any signs that Russia wants to go for an agreement this year,” Rinkevics said.
Head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas emphasized that the EU enlargement process is complex and political, based not only on results.
“Ukraine is fighting for European integration, we need to accept this country in an accelerated manner. We cannot forget about other candidates either,” Kallas said, also making it clear that the EU members are not ready to give a specific date right now.
