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Ukraine becomes EU membership candidate as Donbas battles reach 'fearsome climax'

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By Pavel Polityuk and Vitalii Hnidyi

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only most the corrupt country in Europe. All opposition parties banned, imprisoned and some tortured and murdered. Good luck EU.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

only most the corrupt country in Europe.

Don't worry, as Russian influence is lessened over time, Ukraine will become less corrupt.

All opposition parties banned, imprisoned

Yes, the pro-Russian, separatist supporting parties have been banned, because Russia invaded the country. Weird how that works, huh?

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Yes, the pro-Russian, separatist supporting parties have been banned, because Russia invaded the country. Weird how that works, huh?

Except your timeline is wrong. Opposition parties (not just pro Russian ones) were banned before any invasion. Russian language was banned long before any invasion. Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers were being attacked long before any invasion.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

Rodney and Mr. Kipling,

Rodney, using the wrong country's name again. Get the facts right, what you described was and is happening in Russia! Except for the fact that Russia supporting parties have been banned, as needed, agreed!

Mr. Kippling, Ukrainians had and still have the choice to speak either language, Russia wants to erase everything that's connected to Ukraine, culture, school curriculum, language, you name it.

Those are the facts that can easily be found on the net and listening to people!

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Repealing Soviet era laws, left over from the last occupation is not repression. It’s what happens in an independent society. If the Russian speakers feel so threatened then move to Russia? How threaten do they feel now with Russian troops taking over their towns and villages or what’s left of them after being liberated by Russian artillery?

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Donbas battles reach 'fearsome climax

It hasn't been a very good last few days for Ukraine in the Donbas..... Mass desertions and troops refusing orders to be cannon fodder. Along with the following towns and villages falling to the pro Russian forces.

Zolote, Hirske, Izvetia, Mylokavka, Ustynivka, Myrna Doolyna, Pidlisne, Orikhove, Klynove and Vovchoyarvka.

The fight for the Dombas is a done deal, The Russians will soon be moving to their next objective. Zelenskyy should be negotiating to keep a southern port while there is still that possibility. The cavalry from the west are not coming to save you.

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Cannot wish Ukraine anything but full success in its fight with Russia and ambitions to join the EU. Some countries/ideologies such as Russia's are only destructive and have no value. Wish NATO had expressed more willingness to directly engage Russia.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Except your timeline is wrong. Opposition parties (not just pro Russian ones) were banned before any invasion

Nope. This isn't true. But thank you for conceding Russia has indeed invaded Ukraine.

Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers were being attacked long before any invasion.

Yes, because Russia funds the separatist movements in eastern Ukraine.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

If this is the solemn democratic wish of the Ukraine government and people to join the European Union, and on some future date become a full member, and in doing so will impel the nations heart and soul in repelling the Russian invader then so be it, I wish them well.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Ukraine won't be an EU member anytime soon. Even if they satisfy the membership criteria in record time (Turkey has only satisfied around 3% so far), the net beneficiaries of EU structural funds like Poland, Romania, Hungary and many others, stand to lose billions if a new member as large and as poor as Ukraine becomes entitled to its share. Eastern European countries will either demand a new funding formula (leaving substantially less for Ukraine) or they will slow-walk Ukraine's application indefinitely.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

empty words and empty promise.

tatemae.

we have said something but will do something else.

to be candidate it does not means they will be EU member tomorrow.

Turkye have applied some decades ago and you just check result by yourself.

there are few reasons why UA wont join EU anytime soon.

they are most corrupted country in world or say black hole for money and anything received as "gift"

they have unsolved issues with minorities living on their territory/Poles,Hungarians,Slovaks,Romanians,Moldavians and yes dont forget-Russians/ about their human rights,equality of rights with major ukrainian nation in terms of education,using own language,having own media ,getting support of their culture from UA gov budget

dont need to mention unsolved and never investigated acts of violence mainly against russian minority in UA/Odessa,Lugansk,Donetsk,Mariupol-2014-feb2022/and act of agression/remember ATO when living quarters were shelled by UA army and many kinds of oligarkh like Kolomoyskiyy funded thugs were terrorized russian people-still UA citizens/

at the end there is process UA must follow if want be member of EU,fiscal policy,solved territorial disputes,solved domestic political issues like banning political parties,newspapers,TVs,radios,media,websites,stopping of practicing of open censorship and list goes on.

there is still right of veto so even old EU members will agree that UA can join,its enough if one single member say Hungary/have good reason for it/will use veto and UA will be never ember of EU

as I have said-tatemae position.just another empty promise cant be fullfilled anytime soon.

its better to stop giving to UA people false hopes and promises even USA and EU with their MSM propaganda are masters of it.

UA needs peace.UA needs take a seat around table with Russians,start serious talk how they will manage own relationship from very same day and how they will solve issues and concerns they have unsolved from past.

this pointless war have to stopped now.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Nothing will ever happen for this.

but ok congratulations on being allowed to apply. Will never meet the membership criteria with all this corruption that will get worse not better due to all the untraced money and weapons available.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com

Yes, because Russia funds the separatist movements in eastern Ukraine.

Of course they are. But who is funding the Nationalists in Ukraine?

Nope. This isn't true.

The "Nationalist" government started banning opposition parties in 2015... quite some time before the Russians invaded. Not all of them were pro Russia either.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Eastman,

once again getting the (proven) facts completely wrong:

".... most corrupt(ed) country in world ....".

Don't think so. There maybe and probably is corruption, but the most corrupt in the world?

Guess you know very little (to nothing) about world affairs.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Ok1587

once again getting the (proven) facts completely wrong:

".... most corrupt(ed) country in world ....".

Don't think so. There maybe and probably is corruption, but the most corrupt in the world?

Guess you know very little (to nothing) about world affairs.

While it’s true Ukraine is not the most corrupt in the world, it’s definitely in the top 3 of most corrupt in Europe.

The other points Eastman talks about are totally ignored by you and then attacked with a childish comment about “world affairs”.

Furthermore, “maybe and probably” corruption in Ukraine?? Well, you know what they say about pointing fingers. Lol

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Of course they are.

Ahh, so you admit they're funding the separatists in Ukraine. Good. So are you saying you think it's unreasonable to ban political parties that vocally support Russian backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and are now in fact, invading Ukraine? That is an absurd position to take. I guess Ukraine just doesn't have a right to exist.

But who is funding the Nationalists in Ukraine?

I don't really care. They're defending their homes, and they wouldn't exist in such a large capacity if Russia hadn't funded separatists and or invaded the country.

The "Nationalist" government started banning opposition parties in 2015... quite some time before the Russians invaded. Not all of them were pro Russia either.

The only parties actually banned were pro-Russia. And as we've already established, Russia has been backing separatists in Ukraine since at least 2014.

While it’s true Ukraine is not the most corrupt in the world, it’s definitely in the top 3 of most corrupt in Europe.

Right, but that isn't what Eastman said. The extrication of Russia from Ukrainian affairs can only make Ukraine less corrupt.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

The irony is that unless the EU waives the requirements that candidate countries have to meet, the Kiev regime will never survive to become an actual member (corruption, oppressive and discriminatory laws, antidemocratic measures are what keeps it in power) even if it manages to hold onto the territories who's population reject being ruled by it.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Right, but that isn't what Eastman said.

Hence the discussion.

The extrication of Russia from Ukrainian affairs can only make Ukraine less corrupt.

Strange unrelated point to add.

How about the extraction of EVERY book sold in Ukraine with a Russian author, which is legally happening in new government laws? How’s that gonna fly with the EU?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

If the EU genuinely cared about the Ukrainian people, they could just offer Ukrainian passport holders the right to live and work in the EU for the next 5 or 10 years without trying to absorb Ukrainian territory into the EU. This is all most Ukrainians really want and an agreement could be signed off by next week.

Naturally, the Ukrainian government would probably oppose this fearing an exodus. As would the EU investor class who want to extract economic reforms, privatisation and investor protections in exchange for EU membership.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Strange unrelated point to add.

No. It is related. One cannot mention corruption in Ukraine without mentioning the relationship between pro-Russian Ukrainians and corrupt Russian oligarchs. I mean, if Ukraine isn't helped, which does seem to be the implication here, then Ukraine won't actually be able to tamp down on corruption, because of Russia meddling in it's affairs.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

M3, can Ukraine win this war? Does such a scenario exit? After such losses?

Will the prospect of EU membership offer any prospect of reconciliation?

I have never witnessed such brutality, carnage and hate.

There have been unthinkable atrocities, war crimes, even accusations of genocide,

Indiscriminate slaughtering of whole communities. Men women and children

Are we witnessing war without end?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

@itsonlyrocknroll

M3, can Ukraine win this war? Does such a scenario exit? After such losses?

Will the prospect of EU membership offer any prospect of reconciliation?

Based on what I've seen and heard, probably not, and no. But I can't claim to be a military expert.

I have never witnessed such brutality, carnage and hate.

Neither have I, but I suspect that's mostly because this is the first major war where everyone has a high-quality camera in their pocket. Just imagine how Vietnam or Iraq would have looked through the lens of a civilian's smartphone.

Are we witnessing war without end?

I hope not. It's obviously time for all parties, which now includes the EU and the United States imo, to come to the negotiating table. The failure to reach a modus vivendi with Russia has been an unmitigated disaster for Ukraine.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The failure to reach a modus vivendi with Russia has been an unmitigated disaster for Ukraine.

Kind of hard to do when Russia funds separatists in Ukraine and doesn't recognize the right of Ukraine to exist, isn't it?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Itsonlyrockandroll...

I have never witnessed such brutality, carnage and hate.

So you were in a coma for Iraq? Syria, Afghanistan, the Balkans, Palestine? Lebanon.... Etc etc?

War is not nice for humans and other living things.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

M3M3M3,

agree with you, except for that one point: negotiating table.

Well, if Putin agreed to move away from his long distance table, if he agreed to pull back his troops, if he agreed to pay reparations, if he agreed to never give it a try again, if he agreed ........

At the same time, if Selenskyj agreed to protect minorities, if he agreed to fight corruption, if he agreed to fulfill all demands to become a full EU member, if, if, if ......

So many "ifs" which will most definitely not be accepted by him (Putin).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Ukraine won't actually be able to tamp down on corruption, because of Russia meddling in it's affairs.

Now it’s getting silly. The corruption of Ukraine is internal and spreads out. Sure Russia has its fingers in it but so did the US Presidents son. The EU will just make Ukraine a debt slave state while destroying its culture.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Mr Kipling, sadly I was a schoolgirl, studying for GCSE though out the Gulf War, the politics of the invasion didn't even register. No point in me making excuses.

I have grown up a tad, and my experience of and respect for life has considerably changed. And yes I have taken a side.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

FizzBit,

If the EU makes "Ukraine a debt slave state while destroying its culture.", what will Russia do.

Anything different from what they're doing already now? Destroying and looting Ukraine's culture.

Deporting Ukrainians to far away places in Russia. Abducting Ukrainian children.

Now that's what I call a state which represents and stands for slavery.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Now it’s getting silly. The corruption of Ukraine is internal and spreads out. Sure Russia has its fingers in it

There really isn't anything "silly" about Russia's corrosive influence on neighboring countries. The Soviet roots of corruption are rather obvious:

Ukrainian professor Oleh Bazaluk [uk] reports that the roots of the Ukrainian corruption stem from the Soviet nature of the Ukrainian political leaders, who used to be integrated into the Communist nomenklatura (ruling elite) before the collapse of the Soviet Union. The politicians created an authoritarian-oligarchic governance regime in Ukraine where the corruption became ubiquitous with no chances to implement a European choice of the Ukrainian people.[9]

This sounds exactly like Russia now, doesn't it? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Ukraine#:~:text=According%20to%20Transparency%20International's,Russia%20the%20most%20at%20136.

One could also talk about Medvedchuk, former head of a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine, who is awaiting trial on charges of treason, and exploiting Ukrainian natural resources through his Russia based companies.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Medvedchuk

One could also talk about corrupt businessman and ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, who has charged with fraud, and fled to Russia after being ousted.

but so did the US Presidents son.

There is no proof Hunter Biden engaged in illegal activities in Ukraine.

The EU will just make Ukraine a debt slave state while destroying its culture.

Right, well Russia has already destroyed wide swaths of Ukraine, it's people, and it's culture, now hasn't it?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's about Ukrainians wishing to shake off their imposed Soviet past, and instead they wish to come into the light and join Europe and western civilization. This is where their future lies, not with the continued darkness demanded by Putin and his henchmen.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

takeda.shingen....

I don't really care. They're defending their homes, and they wouldn't exist in such a large capacity if Russia hadn't funded separatists and or invaded the country.

The Russians of the Donbas were defending THEIR homes. The reason they wanted to separation was because of the actions of Ukrainian "Nationalists"... follow the timeline.

The "Nationalist" government started banning opposition parties in 2015... quite some time before the Russians invaded. Not all of them were pro Russia either.

The only parties actually banned were pro-Russia. And as we've already established, Russia has been backing separatists in Ukraine since at least 2014.

No, they also banned several Socialist parties that are very pro Ukraine in this conflict. Russia has been backing Pro Russian populations since the break up of the Soviet Union.

This isn't a fight between good and evil, its a nasty proxy war between the US/NATO and Russia. The losers will be the ordinary people of Ukraine and both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

FizzBit,

If the EU makes "Ukraine a debt slave state while destroying its culture.", what will Russia do.

Anything different from what they're doing already now? Destroying and looting Ukraine's culture.

Deporting Ukrainians to far away places in Russia. Abducting Ukrainian children.

Now that's what I call a state which represents and stands for slavery.

I’m all for conspiracy theories and those that belittle them are just scared IMO, but these are some heavy and strange conspiracy theories.

Im sure it’s debatable whether Russia has hurt or helped Ukraine since the SU break up, but deal the EU offering Yanukovych had debt slave written all over it, that’s why he went with the Russian deal, and that’s when the US activated their trained neo Nazis to turn the euromadain violent.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

The irony is that if the Kiev regime 'wins' the war and is able to force the population of the Donbass to remain subject to the decrees coming from it, the most lenient interpretation of the minimum requirements for actually becoming a member of the EU would result in the restoration of the conditions that prevailed before the coup against the last nationally elected government of Ukraine, meaning all the bloodshed will have been because the EU refused to offer a deal that didn't force Ukraine into a hostile relationship with Russia, and now faces the same choice.

And if the Kiev regime can't retain control of the industrial and agricultural heartland of the former Ukraine, well, odds are pretty high that reasons will be found for it not meeting the criteria for actual membership.

The kicker is that it is more likely that, having lost control of the Donbass, the factions that have united behind the regime, or not actively opposed, will start trying to claim the title of 'government of Ukraine' using their fighters, and turn the bit of Ukraine they control into what Afghanistan was on 9/10.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The Russians of the Donbas were defending THEIR homes.

No. They're fighting to leave the Ukraine and become part of Russia. Why should Ukraine, or any country for that matter, do nothing while a neighboring country funds separatists in order to systematically tear their country apart? Apparently might makes right with the pro-invasion crowd.

The reason they wanted to separation was because of the actions of Ukrainian "Nationalists"... follow the timeline.

Wrong. The reason they want separation is because Russia is funding them. These laws you're talking about didn't exist until Russia started funding separatists in Ukraine.

No, they also banned several Socialist parties that are very pro Ukraine in this conflict. Russia has been backing Pro Russian populations since the break up of the Soviet Union.

Wrong again. The parties were Communist, not socialist for starters. There were three of them. One the parties appealed and was reinstated, the other did not, and so they're banned.

And no, they're not "very pro-Ukraine." Quite the opposite:

In the aftermath of the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, the General Prosecutor of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine have both filed charges against the party. The charges include supporting the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and "financing terrorism"[8] (i.e. providing support to separatists in Donbass), both acts of treason against the Ukrainian state. In particular, regional party cells in Donetsk Oblast created so called Communist Party of the Donetsk People's Republic, which actively supports the separatists.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Ukraine

According to political scientist Tadeusz A. Olszański, the party "effectively supports the separatist rebellion" in the War in Donbass.[58]

Again, I'll ask why the political parties be allowed to exist, by a state they are actively trying to destroy? This is a nonsense argument.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

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