The Minister of Foreign Affairs considered an alternative to the accession of Ukraine. Moscow interpreted this as a clear no.
Vienna/Kyiv. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg’s statements on the EU and Ukraine were well received abroad. In a lecture on Saturday, Schallenberg reflected on “tailored offers for the closest possible connection between Ukraine” and the EU, which do not necessarily have to go through full membership. Russian and Ukrainian media interpreted this as a categorical no from Vienna to Ukraine’s EU membership. Clear criticism came from Kiev.
“I believe we have the challenge at European level to rethink our entire enlargement and neighborhood policy,” Schallenberg said at the European media summit in Lech am Arlberg. Regarding Ukraine’s ambitions in the EU, he explained that the signal “Yes, you belong to Europe, yes, you belong to the West” could not work with full membership alone.