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Global Affairs

Ukraine and the birth of a new Europe

The move to invite Ukraine to join the European Union is politically significant for not just the country.

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A press conference on EU membership applications by Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, in Brussels on June 17, 2022.

PHOTO: AFP

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Over the past four months, as European prime ministers and presidents rushed to make the pilgrimage to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to express their solidarity with that war-torn nation, two of Europe's most significant politicians stubbornly resisted this trend: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The leaders of the European Union's most prominent countries explained that their refusal was a matter of principles: They do not travel in pursuit of photo opportunities, and they would only go to Kyiv when they have something substantial to say.
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