October 7, 2023

GRANADA, Spain (AP) — European Union leaders acknowledged Friday that just as aspiring members must meet exacting criteria to join the bloc, the 27 member nations also must work hard to reform the EU to make sure it can work smoothly with 30-plus nations.

Although Ukraine was hoping for a swift timetable for joining, the 27 leaders declined to adopt a target date of 2030 for Kyiv’s membership as had been proposed by EU Council President Charles Michel.

The group pledged unwavering support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, but the summit ended by saying that any aspiring member must complete the EU’s long and tortuous merit-based process that can last years or decades. Shortcuts for geopolitical reasons were ruled out.

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