Ukraine to make EU geopolitically stronger - Mathernová

The European Union will enjoy a variety of benefits once Ukraine becomes its member given the country’s massive potential in many areas.

That’s according to the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, who spoke with Ukrinform ahead of the publication of the EU Enlargement Report 2024.

Asked about the potential benefits the Union could get from allowing Ukraine into its ranks, the ambassador said: “My first point is, look at the map. Ukraine’s human, social, economic, digital, energy, military, defense, agricultural potential is to strengthen Europe,” the ambassador stressed.

At the moment, Ukraine is fighting for its national survival, the diplomat noted, adding that “the war will be over and you will be a member of the EU, a strong one”.

She added that certain anxiety exists among some member states because Ukraine “eventually will be a very powerful and successful country”, and this is the same anxiety that was in place in Western Europe when Eastern European countries were on their way to joining the EU.

“And now there’s the same sort of anxiety over potential trade competition, cheap labor, as it once was about Polish plumbers, truck drivers, or agriculture, and now it’s exactly the same thing about you,” concluded Mathernová.

At the same time, the EU Ambassador believes that “geopolitically, Ukraine will make the EU stronger.”

As Ukrinform reported earlier, as of October 18, 2024, a total of 60.8 million tonnes of the new-harvest crops were gathered across Ukraine, including 22.3 million tonnes of wheat.