Member States processed the three membership applications from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in record time.

They were received last week and were forwarded to the Commission on Wednesday - with a request for an opinion.

This is the first step towards candidate status.

It usually takes at least seven months on its own.

For the countries willing to join, this was a first, important signal: their concerns and needs in view of the Russian threat or even aggression are being taken seriously.

But what else can they expect from the European Union?

Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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Michael Wiegel

Political correspondent based in Paris.

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That was the big question when the heads of state and government of the European Union met on Thursday evening.

An informal meeting, not in Brussels but at the Palace of Versailles, at the invitation of the French Presidency.

It was actually supposed to be about the "future European model for growth and investment", i.e. - to put it bluntly - taking on new debt.

That was and is a core concern of President Macron, but the war in Ukraine has thrown that upside down too.

The debate on the applications for membership, scheduled for dinner, came to the fore.

"Political guidance" was expected from the bosses, instructions on how to proceed.

Hopes for rapid candidate status

When they arrived in the palace courtyard in bright sunshine and early summer temperatures, where the republican guard awaited them, a draft of the “Declaration of Versailles” had already been prepared.

As usual, it was negotiated by the ambassadors and advisors to the bosses.

He gave the applicants no hope that they would quickly receive candidate status.

Georgia and Moldova were not even mentioned in it.

Regarding Ukraine, it was said that the European Council recognized the "European aspirations" and its "dedication for Europe" as reflected in the Association Agreement.

That was exactly the same wording as at the last council on February 24, a few hours after the Russian invasion of the country.

This recognition does not imply support for candidate status.

Not even the formulation that Ukraine belongs “to our European family”.

All that was said about the application for membership was that it had been received and sent immediately to the Commission for an opinion.

In the ambassadors' negotiations, Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia had advocated that there be a "fast track" procedure for Ukraine, that the Commission should submit its notification "as soon as possible" and mobilize further financial resources.

As a rule, the commission takes one to one and a half years for its examination.

Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Hungary didn't want to put them under time pressure.

These countries insisted that the procedures and requirements of the EU treaty for dealing with membership applications were followed.

This is a "very serious and long-term procedure", explained a diplomat on Thursday, during which the Commission has to check whether a country meets the Copenhagen accession criteria.

"To put it bluntly:

The Copenhagen criteria were set in 1993 at a European Council in the Danish capital.

The Union was thus preparing for the eastward expansion, which was then completed in 2004.

In order to become a member, a country must firstly “have achieved institutional stability as a guarantee of democracy and the rule of law, of upholding human rights and respecting and protecting minorities”.

Second, it must have a "functioning market economy and the ability to withstand competitive pressures and market forces within the Union".

Third, it must be able to "assume the obligations of membership and also embrace the objectives of political, economic and monetary union".