Oleksandr Sushko, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation, in opening remarks at the 4th EU Accession Exchange Forum emphasized the historic significance of the current stage in European integration and Ukraine’s decisive role within it. He highlighted that the success or failure of this moment of EU enlargement will define the European Union for decades ahead:

• The current phase of EU enlargement is a defining moment for Europe’s future. We are moving forward with accession and with this dramatic historical moment for Europe, which will be decisive for the European future for decades to come. The success or failure of this moment of enlargement will determine the very substance of the European Union;
• Ukraine leads in public support among candidate countries: over 50% of EU citizens back its accession. Ten years ago, the Dutch were against the Association Agreement; today, 65% of the Dutch population support Ukraine’s accession;
• Public perception of enlargement has shifted from skepticism to determination. After many years when the enlargement process was stuck or delayed, now there is visible determination, both from European societies and political elites, to move forward;
• The process requires mutual transformation – Ukraine’s reforms and EU institutional adaptation. There is no single issue that guarantees success. Internal reforms in Ukraine, EU institutional reforms, and national political debates – all matter. Opposition will remain, this is a political field that stays active;
• European integration must be a whole-of-society effort, not limited to political elites. Ukrainians do not have this naive perception of the European reforms that this is about simple solutions. This means that we understand the deepness of the process, that requires the endeavour of the whole society. And we want the whole society to be an owner of the EU integration process, not just a narrow circle of political elites.

Watch the full recording of the Forum on New Europe Center`s Youtube channel via the link.

The EU Accession Exchange Forum is organized by the New Europe Center in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, the International Renaissance Foundation, and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (Republic of Moldova), with Ukrinform and European Pravda serving as media partners. The EU Accession Exchange Forum is taking place with EU support, within the EU-funded “Whole-of-Society Accession” project implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation.