The German Chancellor supports EU expansion, including the accession of the Republic of Moldova. Scholz evokes a Union with 30 or 36 states
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised on Monday, in Prague, to support the expansion of the European Union by the entry of the countries of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and even Georgia, and he supported the disappearance of unanimity rules in decision-making at the EU level.
“The fact that the European Union continues to expand is an advantage for all of us,” Scholz said in a speech in Prague on the future of Europe, he writes. truth.
He evoked “a European Union with 30 or 36 states, much different from our current Union”.
“In this enlarged Union, the differences between member states will increase in terms of political interests, economic power or social systems (…). Where today unanimity is necessary (within the EU), the risk of a single country preventing the others from moving forward with its veto increases with each new member state,” explained Olaf Scholz.
In this context, he proposed a gradual transition to majority decision-making in common foreign policy, but also in other areas, such as fiscal policy.
The head of the German executive reaffirmed his support for French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to create a “European political community”.
Stressing the “geopolitical dimension” of the EU enlargement process, he stated that “realpolitik must mean engaging friends and partners with shared values and supporting them to be strong in global competition through cooperation.”.
“What is missing, however, is a regular exchange at political level – a forum for EU heads of state and government and our European partners to meet once or twice a year to discuss key issues affecting our continent . as a whole, such as security, energy, climate and connectivity”insisted the German chancellor.
In his view, Europe must oppose the threat posed by “neo-imperialist autocracy”.
“Right now, we are not asking once again where the dividing line between this free Europe and a neo-imperialist autocracy will lead in the future. We talked about a turning point after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The brutal attack on Ukraine is thus also an attack on Europe’s security order’‘, Chancellor Scholz explained.
He assured that Berlin will maintain its support for Ukraine “as long as necessary”. In the coming weeks, Germany will send weapons to Kiev.
According to him, apart from the delivery of radar systems and drones, Germany could take special responsibility for strengthening Ukraine’s artillery and air defense capabilities.