Luuk van Middelaar in the media on Ukraine’s EU candidacy
At a recent meeting, the leaders of the European Union formally approved Ukraine and Moldova’s candidate status to join the bloc. The message is: you are welcome to join our European family in due course.
The EU is thus making a significant geographic shift eastwards. And it doesn’t stop there: Western Balkan countries have also been seeking accession for some time.
Can the EU ignore these wishes now that Ukraine and Moldova have taken an important step towards accession? According to Luuk van Middelaar, Professor of Foundations and Practice of the European Union and its Institutions, there needs to be much more discussion about the far-reaching consequences of EU expansion. Is the Union itself ready for this? And is Europe not acting too much on emotion?
Luuk van Middelaar gives his opinion on various media platforms:
The Economist (10 June, with co-author Hans Kribbe)
Bureau Buitenland (VPRO Radio, 22 June) (in Dutch)
Interview in Podcast De Dag (NPO, 23 June) (in Dutch)