French President in favour of ‘new EU community’

The EU has celebrated Europe Day, with leaders using the occasion to express their solidarity with Ukraine

Recently re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron says he is in favour of a ‘new type of European community’ one that would allow countries outside the Union to join in on ‘European core values’.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Macron says nations like Britain and Ukraine could join in on this, and believes his victory at the polls was a clear indication France wants more Europe.

But when it comes to Ukraine’s bid to join the Bloc, the French President cautioned this will take ‘several years’, and there needs to be a short-term solution.

So instead of lowering the entry requirements for countries who aspire to join the Union, Macron says a “European political community” would be open to democratic European nations who adhere to the Bloc’s core values.

These values would include areas like political cooperation and security, as well as cooperation in energy, transport and investment of infrastructure.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also addressed her colleagues, using a speech to express the EU’s commitment to Ukraine’s independent future.

Von der Leyen says Europe’s image of unity is far more powerful than any military parade in Moscow.