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European Leaders Approve Ukraine as Candidate to Join EU

European leaders have approved Ukraine as a candidate to join the European Union (EU).

Ukraine's application to become part of the EU was accepted during a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels Thursday.

The approval is a first step in considering Ukraine's full membership into the EU. The whole process is expected to take years.

The EU's decision "is a signal to Moscow that Ukraine, and also other countries from the former Soviet¹ Union, cannot belong to the Russian spheres of influence," Ukraine's ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, told Reuters.

Friday marks four months since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops across the border into Ukraine. Russia has called the war a "special military operation." Putin said the conflict was partly an answer to Western encroachment² into what Russia considers its sphere of influence.

Russia has long opposed closer links between Ukraine and Western groupings like the EU and the NATO military alliance.

The West sees the war in Ukraine as an unjustified act of aggression³ by Russia. The conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions and destroyed cities. It has also affected⁴ world exports of goods such as food and energy.

Charles Michel is the European Council President. He called the approval of Ukraine's application "a decisive moment for the European Union."

Members of the European Parliament gave their approval to Ukraine's application hours before the EU meeting in Brussels. Legislators voted to pass a resolution that calls on EU heads of state and government to "move without delay" and "live up to their historical responsibility."

The EU's 27 nations have been united in backing Ukraine's resistance to Russia's invasion. They have approved a number of economic sanctions against Moscow.

But EU leaders were at first split on how quickly the group should move to accept Ukraine as a member. The nations with the biggest concerns were the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

But Ukraine's application got a boost last week by the European Commission, which expressed its support after receiving answers from Ukraine from a series of questions sent in April and May.

Ukraine recently received additional support after the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country and promised to back its candidacy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke⁵ with 11 EU leaders on Wednesday, after holding calls with nine others the day before. He said the meeting in Brussels represents a "historic session of the European Council."

Words in This Story

application – n. a formal and usually written request for something

sphere – n. a subject or area of knowledge, work, etc.

encroach – v. gradually take away someone's rights, power, etc. or get control of something, often without being noticed

decisive – adj. strongly affecting how a situation will progress or end

sanction – n. an action taken to force a country to obey international laws by limiting trade or aid to the country

boost – n. something that makes you feel more confident or happy or that helps something increase of improve

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 encroachment   

n.侵入，蚕食

参考例句：

• I resent the encroachment on my time.我讨厌别人侵占我的时间。
• The eagle broke away and defiantly continued its encroachment.此时雕挣脱开对方，继续强行入侵。

3 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。