Ukraine: Michel (European Council), “Putin is committing geopolitical terrorism”. Kyiv’s request for EU membership is “legitimate”

“It is not only Ukraine that is under attack. International law, rules-based international order, democracy and human dignity are also under attack”. European Council President Charles Michel spoke at the extraordinary debate at the European Parliament on the situation in Ukraine. Michel called the Russian attack “geopolitical terrorism, pure and simple”. “Once again, blood and war are on the European soil: Putin has launched a brutal, massive invasion of Ukraine, an unjustified war. And he did it for one reason only”, Michel said: “Because in Maidan, you, dear people of Ukraine, you made the choice of freedom, democracy and the rule of law”. The President of the European Council then said about the request by the Government in Kyiv to be granted candidate status: “Ukraine wants to join the EU, and it is up to us, Europeans, to act in accordance with the times. We know it is a complex issue, for it concerns enlargement” to the East. Furthermore, “there are different views in EU Member States”. It is therefore up to the “European Commission to deliver an opinion and then the Council will assume its responsibility. It will have to seriously look at the political request that has been made, which I deem to be legitimate, and provide guidance to make the right choice”.
Valentina Bombelli