Von der Leyen noncommital on Ukrainian EU
membership, banning Russian energy imports
The EU Commission president says the bloc has to ‘get
rid of the dependency’ on Russian fossil fuels.
BY PAOLA
TAMMA
March 6,
2022 4:53 pm
European
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday declined to say whether and
when Ukraine would be given European Union membership, and refused to answer
whether the EU would contemplate a total ban on imports of oil and gas from
Russia.
She said
the Ukrainian people "belong in the European family," but added that
"this would take time," in an interview with CNN. Asked when the
earliest possible date for accession would be, she said, "This is hard to
say ... Reforms have to be done, processes have to be set up."
Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday filed a symbolic application to the EU,
asking for his country's membership to be fast-tracked. Georgia and Moldova
have also filed applications.
EU
membership is a years-long process that requires countries to comply with both
legislative and practical changes. Other countries whose membership bids have
been pending — such as Montenegro and North Macedonia — could potentially be
resentful if other applications get fast-tracked.
Von der
Leyen also refused to say whether a ban on imports of Russian oil and gas — on
which the bloc heavily relies for its energy supply — would be an option the EU
is prepared to take.
Instead,
she said that "we have to get rid of the dependency [on] fossil fuels from
Russia. We’re just discussing in the European Union a strategic approach, a
plan on how to accelerate investments into renewables, how to diversify our
energy supply for example with you, our friends in the U.S. for LNG gas ... and
other friends around the world, how to invest heavily in biogas and in hydrogen
that is homegrown. This is not only a strategic investment into our energy
security but it is also good for the climate."
The
Commission will next week outline a list of actions for discussion by EU
leaders on how to reduce the bloc's energy dependency on Russia.
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