EU rapporteur demands Ukraine lift opposition sanctions to clear path for membership
MEP Michael Gahler (Germany, EPP Group) has stressed the need to ensure a ceasefire for peace talks on Ukraine, calling on member states to clear the way for Ukraine to join the EU, and on the Ukrainian authorities to protect political diversity in the country and stop actions against opposition members, while expressing support for Ukraine in the reform process.
"We also demand the protection and strengthening of political diversity, the independence of the judiciary and the transparency of judicial procedures. We demand an end to outdated and politically motivated trials and sanctions against opposition members, the preservation of parliamentary pluralism and the promotion of constructive dialogue between political groups in the Verkhovna Rada; and the lifting of all restrictions on foreign travel by members of the Verkhovna Rada related to the exercise of their powers and political activities," Gahler said in a speech to the European Parliament on Tuesday.
He noted that Ukrainians "defend not only their territory, but also their European path."
"The alternative is obvious: either you become part of free Europe, or you are forced to return to the Soviet Gulag. We support Ukraine in its reform process, which is detailed in the annex to the Financial Support Mechanism for Ukraine, which is published quarterly. We have a certain leverage in this, since payments are linked to the fulfillment of these quarterly tasks, and if they are not fulfilled, payments are also reduced. There may be regressions and mistakes on this path of reforms. But it should also be emphasized that society is so mature that such mistakes can be corrected under public pressure," the MEP noted, recalling the reaction of civil society to the attempt to place the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) under the control of the Prosecutor General.
"Ukraine must continue to use the momentum of reforms: to strengthen its democratic institutions, to align with the EU's common foreign and security policy, to combat corruption and abuses in the judicial system. These steps are not only crucial for EU accession, but also form the basis for the trust of its own population in the state and the rule of law," Gahler stressed.
He stated that the Russian leadership "aspires to nothing less than a forced final victory of Russia over Ukraine" and has demonstrated its unwillingness to end the war.
"This war must be stopped, but peace cannot be achieved with words alone. Over the past months, Russia has demonstrated with its frivolous proposals and dishonest negotiations that it wants to continue the war. Therefore, we emphasize: an unconditional ceasefire is a necessary condition for any serious peace negotiations! Until there is one, we must strengthen our military, material and financial support for Ukraine so that the country can defend its right to self-defense," the MEP said.
In this regard, he called on all states to accelerate the process of Ukraine's European integration and eliminate all obstacles on this path. "Now it is necessary to move forward decisively - without blockages and excuses. We call on all member states to act constructively and clear the path for Ukraine to EU membership. It is necessary to start negotiations on clusters as soon as possible in order to achieve the greatest possible progress on the issue of the country's accession to the EU. Let's send a clear signal together! Ukraine belongs to the European family, and we will do everything possible to ensure that it takes its place in the European Union as soon as possible. Thanks to effective reforms, Ukraine will be able to achieve this goal faster," Gahler concluded.