France: It will take 15-20 years for Ukraine to join the EU

The process of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union will take 15-20 years and in the meantime Kyiv could join the European political community, as proposed by French President Emanuel Macron, said today the Minister of European Affairs Clement Bon.

“We have to be honest. If we say that Ukraine will join the EU in 6 months, in a year or two, it would be a lie. It is not true. It will undoubtedly take 15-20 years, it is a long time,” Bon said. at Radio J.

“I do not want to sell to the Ukrainians delusions and lies. If we say to the Ukrainians ‘Welcome to the EU’ but you have not read the contract, it says in fine print ‘It will be done in 15 years’, I believe we will deny the hopes of an entire generation of Ukrainian people “, he continued.

“Waiting, we owe the Ukrainians (…) a political plan they can join,” he said, adding that the European political community proposed by Macron was “complementary to the EU” and could offer a specific political plan to countries they want to join.

The issue of EU enlargement, with the accession of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, divides the EU. That is why French President Macron proposed on May 9 the creation of a “new European body” in which they could temporarily participate. candidate countries until the accession process is completed.

In another interview with Les Echos and Europe 1 and CNews, Bonn said that France’s goal was “no Russian victory” and “the liberation of Ukraine”. “We are providing the means in Ukraine, without ourselves being at war, to resist (…) liberation. And the Ukrainians did not provoke the war with Russia, they are seeking their liberation (…). It is legitimate, we support them. “It’s not just a moral duty. If Europe did not do it, it would be like saying, ‘Come on, Putin’s Russia can do whatever it wants. It would be dangerous for our security,'” Bonn added.