The disputes within the EU undermine Ukraine’s chances of joining

All this fuss surrounding the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to the European Union may only be the beginning. The dispute among organization members over whether to grant the country another year of unrestricted access to their markets is likely a precursor to what will happen when serious negotiations begin about its accession.

Politico reports on this.

While Kyiv seeks closer ties with Brussels, the question remains open as to how much the EU will have to change to accommodate Ukraine. Under current rules, the country could become the largest beneficiary of agricultural subsidies, which only further angers European farmers, the publication explains.

Disputes over agricultural exports “reflect the reality of how difficult it will be to integrate Ukraine into the single market,” said one European diplomat to Politico. Another noted that the country’s food already “scares” even those states, including France, that call for military aid to be provided to Kyiv.

It is unlikely that the situation will become less tense as Ukraine moves closer to joining the bloc. After all, this will force the leaders of the EU to “reflect on internal reform,” emphasized one of the sources interviewed by the publication.