As the war in Ukraine drags on, the European Union is taking stock of its role in the conflict.
Driving the news: EU ministers will convene next month for an informal assessment of Ukraine’s EU candidacy and the progress it's made on various economic, judicial, and anti-corruption reforms necessary to enter the bloc.
- Accession requires approval of all EU countries (unless a rule change happens), with Hungary currently opposing Ukraine joining the club.
Big picture: The check-up comes amid fraying support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The wedge issue du jour is the ongoing investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline bombings. German law enforcement is building a very solid case that the plot was perpetrated by members of a Ukrainian military unit, with three arrest warrants issued.
- The revelations have stoked backlash from some Ukrainian allies, in particular Germany, where the country’s rising far-right blame Ukraine for higher energy prices.
- But in Poland, where the pipelines were much hated, the tone is different. PM Donald Tusk essentially praised the bombing, and the courts refused to extradite a suspect.
Why it matters: With U.S.-led peace talks stalled and Russia refusing to budge on demands Ukraine will never accept, the war isn’t ending soon. The EU is looking at new ways to raise cash, but indefinite support for a country that’s not yet an EU member isn’t guaranteed.—QH