EU Commissioner Kos says enlargement will remain based on merit rather than geopolitics

euronews (in English)

Marta Kos, the EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement has said any expansion of the Union will be based on merit rather than geopolitics, and must serve existing Member States as well as future ones.

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00:00The EU's Commissioner for Enlargement has said any expansion of the bloc will be based

00:06on merit rather than geopolitics and must serve existing member states as well as future

00:12ones.

00:13There will be no geopolitical discount. The enlargement process remains merit-based. As

00:20I told you on November 7, I will walk the talk about European values. The rule of law

00:27and fundamental values will continue to be cornerstone of the EU's enlargement policy

00:33and the foundations of a reformed and enlarged union in the future.

00:38With the start of a new year, EU members will be watching the progress made in accession

00:43negotiations, particularly with the likes of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, all of whom

00:49were granted EU candidate status after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

00:55Final accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova began in June last year, a landmark

01:01move which signalled a vote of confidence in Ukraine's future in Europe.

01:07But both countries still have a long path ahead of them, with Moldova under increasing

01:11Russian influence and Ukraine facing hostility from member states such as Slovakia and Hungary.

01:19Meanwhile, Georgia's accession is likely to remain on hold as the EU struggles to reach

01:25a consensus on the ruling Georgian Dream Party, which faces accusations of being both

01:31anti-democratic and pro-Russian.

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