Negotiations with EU Will Be Long, Hard and Humiliating – Sikorski

Radosław Sikorski, former Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs of Poland, and now a member of the European Parliament, stated this in an interview with European Pravda.

According to him, Ukraine should explain to citizens that the EU is not just a trade association, but “a deep political union to which you give part of your sovereignty.”

“First of all, you need to explain to your people, that this is not just some trade. This is a deep political union, which means the joining up of aspects of your sovereignty,” Sikorski said.

“Secondly, the negotiation will be long, hard and humiliating, but is worth it in the end. And thirdly, if you succeed, you are such a large nation, that will change the balance of power inside the European Union to the advantage of Central and Eastern Europe,” he added.

Sikorski noted that there are no guarantees that Ukraine will join the EU.

“My advice is you should not think of it as negotiation because the EU will not change its compromises worked out over half a century for you. Just adopt the European body of law,” said Sikorski.

The former head of the Polish Foreign Ministry stressed that the adoption of all EU legislation is a necessary requirement for membership, but even after that, unanimous support for Ukraine’s membership and voting in the parliaments of all member states will be required.

“Your brand could not be stronger right now. You seem to have fought out this right to become a member. Don’t waste it. Don’t waste time. So accept the acquis, close all the negotiation chapters, and then together with Poland and others will do the politics,” he concluded.