France, Poland, Spain back Ukraine EU accession talks, downplay farm concerns

Key facts

• France, Poland, and Spain want Ukraine's EU accession process to continue.
• These countries believe Ukraine's agricultural sector should not slow membership talks.
• Spain and France support opening all negotiation clusters for Ukraine and Moldova.
• Poland's minister noted that opening a cluster is necessary for negotiations.
• Germany and Finland also backed advancing Ukraine's EU membership bid.

France, Poland, and Spain, three of the European Union's largest member states, have indicated their desire for Ukraine's EU accession process to continue, asserting that the country's substantial agricultural sector should not be a barrier to membership talks. These nations expressed support for Ukraine to advance its bid, with Spain and France specifically advocating for the opening of all negotiation clusters.

Spain's European Affairs Minister Fernando Sampedro stated a hope to open all clusters for Ukraine and Moldova as soon as possible, emphasizing the need to support the efforts of both governments. French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad commended Ukraine for recent legislative progress, including a bill on minorities that persuaded Hungary to lift its block on membership talks, and expressed his support for opening all negotiation clusters.

Poland's European Affairs Minister Ignacy Niemczycki clarified that opening a negotiation cluster is a prerequisite for discussions to take place, noting that "opening a cluster does not mean closing it." He also mentioned that Polish businesses are open to competition but expect Ukraine to adhere to the same rules as EU members.

Other EU countries, including Germany and Finland, also voiced their support for Ukraine's EU membership bid. Finnish European Affairs Minister Joakim Strand stated that his country is "absolutely not afraid of Ukrainian agriculture" and believes Ukraine's future lies within the EU, highlighting its current role in defending Europe.