It was, it is, an absurd debate.

Ukraine, along with Moldova and Georgia, has applied for EU membership and asks, demands or pleads for some kind of fast-track shortcut, to try to avoid a path that normally lasts a decade of eternal, very hard negotiations.

But it is impossible, at least as far as Kiev would like.

"It is a procedure of months or years. Every country in Western Europe that I talk to tells me that we should not try to get on an express train, use any accelerated procedure. The question is not whether we are for or against, no It is an issue at the moment," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, always one of the most direct leaders, warned on Thursday.

"Can we open the accession process of a country that is at war? I don't think so," added Emmanuel Macron,

The heads of state and government of the 27 meet for two days in Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris,

to discuss Ukraine, the war, sanctions, energy, electricity prices, dependency on Russia or defense spending.

It is a transitional summit, where far-reaching decisions are not going to be made, but essential to give the most specific mandates possible, transmit and maintain unity and outline the next steps on all the aforementioned issues.

The Ukrainian question, in all its dimensions, is the main topic.

The Baltic partners, Poland or Slovenia would like to immediately give the status of a candidate country to Ukraine in particular, which requires a technical report from the Commission and the unanimous approval of all the capitals.

But the majority, Spain among them, is very reluctant.

They want to give them something, to send a message, but they know that playing with enlargement is dangerous.

"We cannot give the Ukrainians the feeling that everything can be done from one day to the next

," added Luxembourg's Xavier Bettel.

"But Charles Michel has been prime minister of Belgium for a long time, and a lot of creativity is needed in that position," he said of the European Council president.

Request

Actually, the case of the applicants is already being accelerated.

Bosnia, Albania, North Macedonia or Turkey had to wait an average of nine months from the time they submitted their request until the governments commissioned a technical report from the Commission.

Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have waited only a week.

Most likely, a solution will be sought by strengthening the economic association, seeing how they try to bring Kiev closer to the single market and the European energy system.

But going further seems very complicated right now, with so many doubts.

The same goes for energy.

There is consensus that dependence on Russia must be reduced, that energy prices are unbearable, that it is necessary to advance in the green agenda and renewables.

But in how to act, in all aspects, there is no understanding at all.

Some, like Poland or the Baltics, advocate cutting off dependence on Russian gas now, in weeks less than months.

Others, who import 45 to 100% of their gas from Russia, say impossible.

Spain, France, Greece and half a dozen others want an intervention in the market immediately, to decouple the price of gas from the electricity bill, to reduce prices immediately, to eliminate the marginal system.

And from the center and the north they say that they are not joking, despite the prices.

"Some countries always find reasons not to pay their own expenses," settled the Swedish Magdalena Andersson.

"It is unacceptable that gas contaminates the entire price when we could have it lower and it does not happen because the market, the way in which prices are made, is not adequate to the current stress nor does it recognize the prevalence of renewables. We must update the system, we have been advocating for 10 months to fix a dysfunction that undermines competitiveness," Pedro Sánchez cried out once again upon his arrival.

The fight is now in the mandates, in the details.

"It's a double round match," said the Spaniard.

The first leg is held in Versailles this week and the second leg will be in Brussels in two, at the next European Council.

Madrid hopes that there is a mandate as specific as possible so that the Commission, before the end of the month, presents clearer and more ambitious ideas.

In Moncloa and the Elíseo they know that it is the key moment.

Six months ago, despite the rise in prices, there was no intention, neither in Brussels nor in most capitals.

They thought that in the first quarter the rises would stabilize, that the market is working well, that the risks of intervening outweighed the possible benefits in the short term.

And they stressed that it was up to national governments to cover the most vulnerable.

Now, with inflation unleashed, a war, fear of shortages and a bleak future, there is a new window.

It's a slippery slope, and the margin is small, but if they play their cards right they can go further in days than they have in a year.

The key is the turn, and goals are no longer worth double.

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Know more

  • Ukraine

  • Russia

  • Poland

  • Georgia

  • Pedro Sanchez

  • Greece

  • France

  • Turkey

  • Macedonia

  • Albanian

  • bosnian

  • Belgium

  • Slovenia

  • Ministry of Defence

  • Paris

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Europe

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