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Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the founder and chairman of Rasmussen World. He was safety adviser to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (2016–2019) and is former NATO secretary-general (2009-2014) and former Prime Minister of Denmark (2001-2009).
“In the present day we’ve closed one of many bloodiest and darkest chapters in European historical past. In the present day we’ve opened a brand new chapter. Europe is spreading its wings. In freedom. In prosperity. And in peace. It’s a actually proud second for the European Union. It’s a triumph for liberty and democracy.”
Twenty-one years in the past right this moment, I uttered these phrases to a bunch of journalists gathered in Copenhagen. I had simply presided over the European Council summit wherein European leaders agreed to ask the nations of Central and Japanese Europe to affix the EU.
It wasn’t a choice we took frivolously, however finally all of us assembled in that room acknowledged the historic second we confronted. We noticed that regardless of the challenges, increasing the EU eastward was one of the simplest ways to ship safety and prosperity to our Continent. It’s a choice that has been honored by historical past.
This week, the most recent technology of European leaders face their very own historic second. And as they collect in Brussels for an additional European Council, they have to acknowledge that lasting peace and stability depends on bringing Ukraine into the EU.
Again in 2002, many vehemently argued in opposition to the bloc’s enlargement. They mentioned that the growth to 10 new member nations would result in chaos, that the brand new members have been too poor to combine and that establishments would change into ungovernable. On the contrary, in reality, enlargement stays the EU’s most profitable international coverage. It helped embed and strengthen democracy throughout our Continent, carry stability to the Japanese flank and spur an financial miracle.
Now, twenty years on, confronted with an more and more autocratic and militaristic Russia, is there anybody who can credibly argue that the nations of Central and Japanese Europe, or the EU itself, would have been higher off with out this enlargement?
Sadly, nevertheless, plainly now confronted with the query of Ukraine’s membership, Europe dangers letting historical past slip by way of its fingers. The specter of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s veto appears set to postpone the choice over opening negotiations with Ukraine, going in opposition to final month’s suggestions by the European Fee in addition to the overwhelming majority of leaders within the Council room.
Beneath the management of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv has gone nicely past the circumstances set out for opening membership negotiations. And Ukrainians have managed all of this at a time of struggle.
It is because each Zelenskyy and the folks of Ukraine are clear that their future lies on the coronary heart of Europe. Ten years in the past, demonstrators took to the streets of Kyiv draped in EU flags, protesting corruption and calling for an finish to Russia’s malign affect. Ukrainians have now been combating not just for their nation however for the basic European values of freedom and democracy for nearly two years.
They’re displaying a whole Continent what it means to be European. They’re displaying the need to struggle, and it’s on us to ship a future value combating for.
Ukraine’s EU accession isn’t an act of charity. Simply as with the growth to Central and Japanese Europe, Ukraine’s membership would significantly develop Europe’s industrial base and single market, serving to us maintain apace in an period of geopolitical competitors.
Ukraine within the EU, and finally NATO, might be the cornerstone of Europe’s new safety structure as nicely. If Ukraine is left in a grey zone between Russia and the EU, it should imply continued destruction and instability. Appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin will once more imply unending conflicts on our Continent.
Because of this EU leaders should name Orbán’s bluff. Orbán can solely afford to play Putin’s cheerleader as a result of NATO and Europe underwrite Hungary’s safety and prosperity, and leaders should be clear that he gained’t be allowed to dam a choice so elementary to Europe’s strategic pursuits.
Twenty-one years in the past, I mentioned the choice to welcome 10 new nations into our bloc closed a darkish chapter in Europe’s historical past — considered one of struggle and division. The fact is that this wrestle by no means ends. It depends on each technology being ready to face up for freedom and democracy when they’re threatened. On leaders having the imaginative and prescient to concentrate on our values and strategic pursuits, and never be derailed by political calculations or short-term pursuits. That’s what the European Council should grapple with this week.
Ukraine gained’t be a part of our bloc in a single day. However by opening membership negotiations, EU leaders can ship a loud and clear message to Putin: You gained’t outlast us. Ukraine’s future is on the coronary heart of Europe. The wheels are actually in movement, and there may be nothing you are able to do to cease them.
If they’ve the braveness to do this, this will even be a choice honored by historical past.
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