Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, reiterated Italy’s strong backing for Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union. Tajani emphasized the need to address corruption issues in Ukraine to pave the way for its successful integration into the EU. He highlighted the importance of upholding certain standards and rules as prerequisites for Ukraine’s EU accession.
During a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden, Tajani expressed Italy’s commitment to seeing Ukraine become a full EU member, aligning it with Western Balkan countries. He mentioned discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Italy’s potential role in combating corruption, including the deployment of officers from Italy’s tax police.
Tajani underscored Italy’s willingness to assist Ukraine in combating corruption by helping the country meet the EU’s accession criteria. He emphasized the practical support Italy aims to provide in this regard, leveraging its tax police’s expertise in anti-corruption efforts and ongoing collaboration with Ukraine’s economic and finance ministry.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed the concept of “associate membership” for Ukraine in the EU, allowing Ukrainian officials to participate in EU summits and ministerial meetings without voting rights. This proposal aims to facilitate peace negotiations in Ukraine, particularly in light of the prolonged Russian invasion. Merz also suggested a political commitment from the EU to extend mutual assistance to Ukraine for enhanced security guarantees.
