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Swedish presidency may speed up Ukraine’s EU entry: Polish FM

03.02.2023 09:00
Poland’s foreign minister has said that the Swedish presidency of the Council of the European Union may speed up the process of Ukraine’s entry to the bloc.
Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau (left) and Swedens parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norln (right) meet in Stockholm on Thursday, February 2, 2023.
Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau (left) and Sweden's parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlén (right) meet in Stockholm on Thursday, February 2, 2023.PAP/Mateusz Marek

Zbigniew Rau made the comment in Stockholm on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

Poland’s top diplomat, who is making a two-day visit to Sweden, met with parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlén to discuss the Swedish presidency of the EU, energy security, support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, according to officials. 

'A window of opportunity'

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Rau said: “Sweden has certain tools that, if put to a good use, in a skillful way, may lead, in favourable circumstances, to the start of the process of Ukraine’s accession to the EU.”

Rau added that this would require “determination from Sweden” and “support from like-minded member states.”

He stated: “The Swedish presidency indeed represents a window of opportunity, because we have reasons to believe that countries which will preside over the EU later on may be less committed to this policy [of Ukraine’s entry to the EU].”

Sweden took over the EU’s rotating six-month presidency from the Czech Republic on January 1, news outlets reported. 

'Poland will continue to support Sweden’s accession to NATO'

Meanwhile, Rau also said on Thursday that “Poland will continue to support Sweden’s accession to NATO.”

He added that Sweden intended to enter the Western military alliance at the same time as Finland, without delay, despite opposition from Turkey, the PAP news agency reported.

The Polish foreign minister, who on Thursday also visited Sweden’s historic university town of Uppsala, was set to continue his stay in the Scandinavian country on Friday.

Rau is scheduled to meet his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billström as Warsaw seeks to assure Stockholm of its support for Sweden’s membership of NATO, officials told reporters.         

Friday is day 345 of Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, wnp.pl, gov.pl