With eye toward Ukraine, Scholz urges EU renovation to better welcome new nations

The EU should expand in the future and the entry of potential candidates should drive reforms within the community, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on the sidelines of the EU summit in Granada, Zeit reports.

According to him, the current members of the bloc should "make the European Union fit for the future." To ensure this, the EU must solve complex political and financial issues.

The German official called for reforms at decision-making structures and reiterated his proposal that the EU should abandon the principle of unanimity in matters of foreign and tax policy.

The chancellor noted that not all countries in the EU, which receive funding today, "can expect that this will continue in the future."

Scholz added that such members will have to contribute to the financing of candidate countries.

On June 23, 2022, Ukraine and Moldova were granted candidate status for future EU membership.

The European Commission has provided an action plan that must be implemented in order to start negotiations on joining the EU. A number of reforms are expected from Ukraine, including anti-corruption reforms. Also, Ukraine should complete the reform of the legislative framework for national minorities and develop mechanisms for its implementation.

Ukraine expects to be able to become a member of the European Union in the coming years.

On October 3, Politico reported that the European Union intends to announce the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession in December.