The European Commission announced its proposals in a statement, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Earlier in the day, top EU officials adopted the 2023 Enlargement Package, providing a “detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia on their respective paths towards accession to the European Union."
The EU executive said that the talks with Ukraine should begin after Kyiv meets outstanding conditions, including countering corruption, regulating lobbying in line with EU standards and strengthening national minority safeguards, the Reuters news agency reported.
The recommendation marks a significant milestone for Ukraine and a geopolitical move by the EU, amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to news outlets.
The bloc’s leaders are expected to decide whether to approve the recommendation by Brussels at a summit in December.
All 27 member states would have to agree, with Hungary regarded as a potential obstacle, Reuters reported.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Ukraine continues to face tremendous hardship and tragedy provoked by Russia's war of aggression. And yet, the Ukrainians are deeply reforming their country, even as they are fighting a war that is existential for them."
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna declared in response that Kyiv would “continue its reforms,” according to Reuters.
Accession talks for Moldova, candidate status for Georgia
Meanwhile, the European Commission also said that the EU should start accession talks with Moldova, a small neighbour of Ukraine that has its own tensions with Russia, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
Top EU officials recommended granting candidate country status to Georgia after it meets outstanding conditions in nine policy areas, including alignment with EU foreign policy sanctions, such as those on Russia for the Ukraine war, according to news outlets.
The European Commission advised opening accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina “once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved."
Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine made enlargement a priority for the EU again, amid a resumption of geopolitical rivalry between Moscow and the West, Reuters reported.
The European Commission’s von der Leyen said on Wednesday: “Completing our Union is the call of history. Completing our Union also has a strong economic and geopolitical logic. Past enlargements have shown the enormous benefits both for the accession countries and the EU. We all win."
Wednesday is day 623 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, The European Commission