Brussels, 8 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The European Commission on Wednesday recommended opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, despite shortcomings in its fight against corruption and a need to limit further the influence of oligarchs.

Reforms in those areas as well as on the protection of national minorities have to be concluded before the first round of talks can be held, the commission said.

"Ukraine continues to face tremendous hardships and tragedy provoked by Russia's war of aggression," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels.

"And yet the Ukrainians are deeply reforming their country even as they are fighting a war that is existential for them," she stated.

"Today is a historic day," von der Leyen said, remembering the 10th anniversary of the start of the pro-European Maidan uprising, in which "people were shot because they wrapped themselves into a European flag."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed the recommendation as the "right step" in a video message published on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Our country must be in the European Union," Zelensky said.

"Ukrainians deserve it both for their defence of European values and for the fact that even in times of full-scale war, we keep our word and develop state institutions."

Ukraine, together with neighbouring Moldova, had applied to join the bloc in early 2022 in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion and was named an official candidate country in June last year.

At the time, Kiev was given a list of reforms in seven priority areas that needed to be implemented before formal negotiations could begin.

Reforms on the selection procedure for Ukrainian constitutional judges, the vetting procedures of members of the High Council of Justice, fighting money laundering and strengthening independent media have been deemed sufficient.

"The remaining reforms are already on their way," von der Leyen said.

In December, the EU member states are to make a final decision on the start of EU accession negotiations, based on Wednesday's report.

Accession talks can however take several years and there is no guarantee that they will result in EU membership.

In its recommendation, the commission has to strike a balance between offering Kiev a credible path to membership, while sticking to its core values of the rule of law and transparency.

Ukraine's report is part of the commission's annual evaluation of reform progress in all 10 countries aspiring to join the EU, including Moldova, Georgia and several Western Balkans countries.

The commission also recommended opening accession talks with Moldova and Bosnia-Herzegovina once further reforms have been implemented or certain criteria are met.

According to the commission's assessment, Georgia should be named an official candidate country by EU states, the first step on the path to membership.

Joining the EU can be a lengthy process, in which candidates have to meticulously align their laws and standards with Brussels and EU members may block progress at numerous moments.

Talks with North Macedonia officially started in 2022 - 17 years after the country had received candidate status.

Montenegro and Serbia started accession talks in 2012 and 2014 respectively, but negotiations have largely stalled.

Turkey was named an official candidate in 1999, but membership talks are effectively frozen.

Photo: MIA archive