Austria to support granting Ukraine EU candidate status if other applicants receive it

Federal Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer says that the EU candidate status should be granted to Ukraine, provided that other applicants – the countries of the Western Balkans and Moldova – are granted this status simultaneously.

Nehammer made a corresponding statement during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas in Tallinn, Ukrinform reports with reference to APA.

"During his visit to Estonia on Friday, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer made it clear that he would agree to Ukraine's EU candidate status only along with the status for other applicants," reads the report.

As APA informs, during the press conference in Tallinn, the Austrian Chancellor said that the condition for Austria is that if Ukraine is granted candidate status, "the same applies to the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova."

Nehammer also commented on the issue of talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying that it is necessary to talk to all those involved in the war to end it.

Earlier, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he did not consider Ukraine's quick EU membership likely and called for a "European preparatory zone" as an intermediate stage between co-operation and full EU accession for countries such as Ukraine and Moldova.

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