EU enlargement commissioner comments on whether Ukraine can join EU during active phase of war

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has commented on whether Ukraine can join the European Union while the war remains in its active phase.

Kos said in an interview with European Pravda that Ukraine's accession process is complicated by the occupation of part of the country and by the fact that Russia has written those oblasts into its constitution.

"We have great capabilities inside the European Union to find a working solution – when it is necessary – to the most impossible challenges. We already gave Ukraine a candidate status knowing what is happening with one part of the country. And especially because we knew what was happening with part of the country," she said.

Kos said she was convinced Ukraine should join the EU and that "nobody can deprive you and your people the right to decide about their own future".

In the same interview, Kos said decisions on any possible fast-track EU accession for Ukraine will be taken by the union's member states.

She also said a draft of the new rules for the EU enlargement process will be presented in a few months.