If the idea of \u200b\u200bthe status of an EU candidate for Ukraine in itself does not cause rejection among European countries, then the idea of \u200b\u200bgranting this status in June at the EU Council gives rise to a number of objections.. Instead of looking for arguments why this should be done in June, arguments are voiced why this may not happen next month, director of the New Europe Center Alyona Getmanchuk writes in the article..

She warns that factors indicate a unique window of opportunity due to unprecedented support for Ukraine's future EU membership in European societies.. At the same time, such a high level of solidarity with Ukraine and sympathy for Ukraine may begin to "

Today, there are two key reservations that sound against the status of a candidate for Ukraine in all major skeptical capitals.. The expert emphasizes that, paradoxically, they are not directly connected with Ukraine:.

Getmanchuk writes that the first is related to the need to complete the internal reform of the EU before increasing the list for expansion..

“Often in this context one hears further about changes in the decision-making procedure. There is nostalgia for the EU-15 in the capitals of the founding countries, when the issue of the EU's viability did not face constant resistance in decision-making from individual member states. Especially if these countries, like Hungary, have problems with the rule of law,” the expert writes..

The second argument has to do with the Western Balkans, she notes..

“There is a serious concern in a number of European capitals: Ukraine should not overtake the Western Balkans in the process of approaching membership, because this is unfair and wrong in relation to them, because they, they say, have been in the process for so long, we cannot offer something. Most of all, one heard concern - especially in Berlin - about North Macedonia and Albania, with which the EU has been unable to start accession negotiations for a long time (in particular, due to the blockade of North Macedonia by Bulgaria). Although in fact – and we have been conveying this message in the three capitals for the past two weeks – it is unfair to make Ukraine a hostage of the EU-Western Balkans dialogue,” Hetmanchuk notes..

Learned from the experience of the Western Balkans, the EU is afraid to grant Ukraine candidate status, realizing that it is unlikely to be able to open membership negotiations in the near future.

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Read more about the “confrontation with reality” and proposals on how to overcome it before June in the article by Alena Getmanchuk “EU candidate status: who and why is ready to refuse Ukraine”.