Czech minister on Ukraine: the larger the EU is, the stronger we are

VILNIUS – Prague supports Ukraine's bid to become a member of the European Union, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky sad in Vilnius on Friday.

He also welcomed the European Commission's recommendation to open negotiations on Kyiv's EU membership. 

"The larger the EU is, the stronger we are," Lipavsky told reporters on Friday after meeting Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, adding, however, that Ukraine still has "homework" to do.

The Czech minister was speaking after the European Commission recommended that member states open formal negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova's EU membership and grant candidate status to Georgia. However, the final and unanimous decision on this is still to be made by the head of EU member states.

The European Commission lauded Ukraine, which Russian troops invaded last year, saying that the government "has shown a remarkable level of institutional strength, determination and ability to function". But it said talks should start only after it has addressed corruption, lobbying concerns and a law on national minorities.

For his part, Landsbergis says while there are EU countries that have doubts about Ukraine's membership, the EC "has a variety of levers" to persuade these members.

EU leaders are expected to decide whether to accept the EC's recommendations at a summit in Brussels on December 14-15.