Thread by @I_Katchanovski

As I suggested for more that two decades: "The European Commission has recommended that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted European Union candidate status, a first step in the long process of accession." 1/ rferl.org/a/ukraine-geor…

"Launching accession talks requires unanimous approval from all member countries. EU leaders leaders are expected to approve Ukraine's candidate status at their June 23-24 summit, but with stern conditions attached, and membership may take years or even decades." Or never. 2/

My study findings: Democracy is positively associated with #NATO & #EU accession, while being post-Soviet country has negative effect. Conflicts have negative impact on NATO enlargement. Level of economic development has positive effect on EU accession. 3/ researchgate.net/publication/25…

I suggested for long time #EU accession of #Ukraine as way to prevent its violent break-up & war with #Russia & turn it into democracy. EU decision is finally set to make Ukraine EU candidate with conditions. But it comes too late after break-up & war. 4/ academia.edu/2096561/EU_int…

2007: "Membership in the EU is an issue which can potentially unite western and eastern Ukrainians, if current EU leaders were in possession of more vision and less prejudice concerning Ukraine, which is often not even regarded as part of Europe." 5/
kyivpost.com/article/opinio…

January 15, 2014: "...the West can help to settle the current conflict and create incentives for the EU integration and democratic development by offering Ukraine a formal recognition of its potential right for a membership in the European Union." #EU 6/ kyivpost.com/article/opinio…

CTV interview: Ukraine-Russia conflict, which can escalate into war, can be resolved by offering #Ukraine EU membership prospects, if it would fulfill accession criteria, such as democracy, in exchange for no NATO membership & resolving Donbas conflict. 7/ academia.edu/video/jKB6Ak

"Such an agreement could offer Ukraine a path to membership in the EU, provided it fulfills accession criteria—...democracy, the rule of law, human rights—in exchange for agreeing not to seek NATO membership and to resolve the conflict in the Donbas..." 8/ canadiandimension.com/articles/view/…

"conflict resolution can be done via an international agreement that offers Ukraine European Union membership prospects provided that it fulfills accession criteria (such as democracy) in exchange for neutral status and resolving the conflict in Donbas" truthout.org/articles/lies-…

And in my @CBCNews interview: "Ukraine could be offered EU membership as part of a peace deal where it agrees to renounce NATO membership and declares itself neutral," said Katchanovski." #EU #RussiaUkraineWar #UkraineRussiaConflict cbc.ca/news/politics/…