On Wednesday, Spain and Ireland urged an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to prevent further deterioration, and called on the European Commission to look into Israel’s “human rights” file.
The two countries stressed the need to continue the work and support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and stressed that the European Union's commitment to human rights and dignity cannot have exceptions.
In turn, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that his country and Ireland asked the European Commission to examine the extent of Israel's compliance with its human rights obligations.
This comes as the war in Gaza entered its 131st day as a result of ongoing negotiations in Cairo with the aim of reaching an agreement that would lead to a truce and an exchange of prisoners, while the specter of a humanitarian catastrophe looms over Rafah, which is awaiting an Israeli operation.
The former President of the European Commission delivers bad news to Ukraine
Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker considered that Ukraine's full membership in the European Union was unlikely in the next three to five years.
Juncker told the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung: “If partial membership (of Ukraine in the European Union) will facilitate accession prospects, in general, I have nothing against it. I am no longer privy to the details of the negotiations, but the rapprochement is step by step, or a kind of 'quasi-membership' "Full membership" for Ukraine (in the EU) would be something worth considering. In any case, this would be more realistic than full membership in the next three to five years.
He stressed that Ukraine needs guarantees to join the European Union, and promises should not be made that cannot be fulfilled within the date expected by Kiev.
He also called for remembering the accession conditions that must be met so as not to bring Ukraine's unresolved internal problems to the EU countries.
The European Union summit decided on December 14 to launch negotiations on future membership in the European Union with Ukraine and Moldova. In June 2022, the European Union granted EU candidate state status to Ukraine and Moldova, setting several strict conditions for the formal start of accession negotiations.
The European Union has repeatedly admitted that such a decision was largely symbolic in order to support Kiev and Chisinau in their confrontation with Moscow.