European Parliament political group leaders urge EU Council to “show courage” in decision on membership bids Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia

Leaders of political groups of the European Parliament on Thursday appealed to the Council of the European Union to “show courage” in its upcoming decision on the membership applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

Their joint statement said the EU must show “courage”, “resolve” and “vision” in the context of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and a “deteriorating” international environment. 

“The European Union must be a reliable partner and a credible geopolitical actor that lives up to its principles and values by showing solidarity with those who stand up for the same ideals”, the leaders of the European Parliament said. 

They also appealed to the Council to grant the candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova as a start to a “merit-based process”, and to “work towards” granting the same status to Georgia.

Georgia officially applied for EU membership on March 3, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signing the country’s application.