On Thursday 12 May, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto called for closer cooperation with Ukraine pending its accession to the EU.
“The Community acquis is a long process. In Finland we discussed a possible fast-track procedure. Perhaps not full membership, but steps that would strengthen cooperation with Ukraine and make the European perspective much more visible”, he told the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
On Thursday, his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, called for there to be a place for Ukraine in the EU. “We very often hear that Ukraine belongs to the European family and now it is important to reserve this place”, he explained on German TV channel ARD, warning, in front of the German Social Democratic Party SPD, “that no alternative to the European integration of Ukraine will be acceptable”. He hopes that his country will be able to obtain candidate status for EU membership in June.
No effort spared to help Kyiv
Speaking to MEPs, Mr Haavisto said that “no effort should be spared to support Ukraine”. He noted that his country had already provided €90 million in humanitarian aid, and arms and equipment to Ukraine. “We are considering other aid packages”, the minister warned.
He also said that his country, which currently hosts 20,000 Ukrainian refugees, was ready to take in more: “60,000 to 80,000”.
Finally, when asked about the confiscation of assets that are currently frozen, Mr Haavisto said that the “resources belonging to oligarchs should be confiscated and diverted for the purposes of reconstructing” Ukraine. “We have to do everything in line with the procedures of the law, but this is an avenue worth exploring”, he explained.
The European Commission is expected to present a proposal for a directive on asset recovery and confiscation on 25 May. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)