Evaluation of Ukraine's application for EU candidate status is matter of months or years – Dutch premier

19:07, 10.03.2022 1 min read

The study of whether to give Ukraine the status of an EU candidate cannot be carried out quickly: it will take months or even years, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday.

"There is no such thing as a rapid entry mechanism," he told reporters ahead of the start of the EU summit in Versailles, France.

Rutte recalled that the decision on whether to give Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership should first be considered by the European Commission. After that, its recommendations will be studied by the leaders of the EU countries.

"It will take months or years," he stated.

The prime minister stressed that now, in his opinion, it is necessary to think more not about the European prospects of Kyiv, but about "how we can help Ukraine right today, tomorrow."