The European Union at a crisis summit in Versailles to assert itself in the face of the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin "and the next steps regarding it will be discussed between Heads of State and Government of the European Union during the dinner this [Thursday] evening within the framework of the summit of Versailles", indicates the Elysée in a press release.

The 27 must discuss the economic and security challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.

The Russian offensive, which began on February 24, has highlighted the lack of European military capabilities, the 27 Member States having greatly reduced their budgets since the end of the Cold War.

It also highlighted the extreme dependence of the EU on gas imported from Russia, which limits its ability to act against Moscow.

"This summit is that of the European surge, of European sovereignty", says one at the Elysée.

After two weeks of conflict, Western sanctions continue to rain down on Russia and are increasingly having their effects felt in the country, with which a growing number of companies are cutting all or part of their ties.

The 27 heads of state and government of the member countries and the leaders of the European Union are gathered in Versailles for the informal European summit of the #PFUE2022 pic.twitter.com/yWGKJZKUqR

— French Presidency of the Council of the EU 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@Europe2022FR) March 10, 2022

The EU cannot launch an accelerated accession procedure

for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova

The EU must send Ukraine "a political signal about its belonging to the European family", as well as Georgia and Moldova, but cannot launch an accelerated accession procedure, said the Elysée Wednesday.

For France, it is necessary for these three countries "to invent new forms of rapprochement with the EU" with "strengthening of cooperation in the economic, educational and research fields, as well as in political cooperation".

Their heads of state could, for example, "be associated with meetings of the European Council more regularly".

The EU has already sent them a first signal by launching on Monday the procedure for examining the applications for membership that these three countries submitted just after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when it had taken two years to respond to that of Romania.

“Their application for membership testifies to the sharing of values, we want to be able to respond to them in the fastest and most concrete way, to anchor them quickly” in Europe, underlines Paris.

"But there cannot be an accelerated accession procedure, which takes years, because accession means a convergence of economies, compliance with a certain number of criteria and constraints for the State which joins, which must have an economy strong enough to enter," adds the Elysée.

A Ukraine that joins too quickly after the war, "with economic fundamentals out of step with the European average", would risk, for example, that the most qualified people go to countries where the standard of living is the highest, argues the French presidency.

The European flag back under the Arc de Triomphe

"Membership is not a decision that is taken in a weekend," pleaded an adviser to the French president.

"We understand this Ukrainian request and we want to tell the Ukrainians that they are indeed part of the European family, but it is not an accession procedure that will put an end to the war".

Paris also stresses that the Balkan countries who have been waiting for years in the antechamber of the EU "would not understand".

In addition, the European flag was again deployed Thursday under the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, on the occasion of the EU summit in Versailles.

Its installation on December 31 to celebrate the French presidency of the Council of the EU had caused a controversy.

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