The European Commission recommended Ukraine be granted candidate status on Friday, prompting Russian leader Vladimir Putin to call the move "mad and thoughtless.".Putin declared the end of "the era of the unipolar world" in a speech blasting western countries at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.."When they won the Cold War, the US declared themselves God's own representatives on earth, people who have no responsibilities, only interests. Now it's one-way traffic, which makes the world unstable," said Putin, as reported by the BBC.."They think that they have won and then everything else is a colony, a backyard. And the people living there are second-class citizens.".Putin also said Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine has become "lifesaver for the West to blame all the problems on Russia," and the West is living in the past, "under their own delusions.".Leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania announced their support for Ukraine joining the EU earlier in the week during a visit to Kyiv..Following the announcement Friday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky..The European commission also recommended candidacy for neighbouring country Moldova, who applied for the EU shortly after the invasion of Ukraine..The recommendation is the first step towards membership, but the ultimate decision will be made in Brussels when EU leaders meet on June 23 and 24..The commission warned Ukraine must make reforms if it is to join the EU, regulations around the rule of law, oligarchs, human rights and corruption must be reassessed.
The European Commission recommended Ukraine be granted candidate status on Friday, prompting Russian leader Vladimir Putin to call the move "mad and thoughtless.".Putin declared the end of "the era of the unipolar world" in a speech blasting western countries at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.."When they won the Cold War, the US declared themselves God's own representatives on earth, people who have no responsibilities, only interests. Now it's one-way traffic, which makes the world unstable," said Putin, as reported by the BBC.."They think that they have won and then everything else is a colony, a backyard. And the people living there are second-class citizens.".Putin also said Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine has become "lifesaver for the West to blame all the problems on Russia," and the West is living in the past, "under their own delusions.".Leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania announced their support for Ukraine joining the EU earlier in the week during a visit to Kyiv..Following the announcement Friday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv for discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky..The European commission also recommended candidacy for neighbouring country Moldova, who applied for the EU shortly after the invasion of Ukraine..The recommendation is the first step towards membership, but the ultimate decision will be made in Brussels when EU leaders meet on June 23 and 24..The commission warned Ukraine must make reforms if it is to join the EU, regulations around the rule of law, oligarchs, human rights and corruption must be reassessed.
