Ukraine is 'gold standard' for EU accession process: Ukrainian deputy PM

<p>As European leaders tussle over key decisions on Ukraine ahead of a crucial EU summit on December 14-15, Talking Europe hosts Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, Olha Stefanishyna. She tells FRANCE 24 that it is "very important" that a decision to start Ukraine’s EU membership talks be taken, because Ukraine is a "gold standard" when it comes to the reforms that candidate countries need to make. She also acknowledges that this is a "turbulent period" in European politics, which does not always work in Ukraine's favour. We touch on the current state of EU financial support for Ukraine, as well as the shortfall in ammunition deliveries that the EU had pledged.</p> <p>Asked about Kyiv's EU membership process, Stefanishyna says: "<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/ukraine/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Ukraine</a> has been a golden standard of the merit-based approach. No country in the whole world will be able to form the anti-<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/corruption/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">corruption</a> system of bodies and relaunch the judicial reform within a year, and to start the Constitutional Court reform. Ukraine brought back the agenda of the whole enlargement. It is clear that enlarged, strengthened and reformed Europe is the strong Europe. The decision on December 15 [at the EU summit] is not the mandate for the negotiations. It is just the decision to start the accession talks. And it should be taken to preserve the attachment to the European project, and also to give a signal to Western Balkan countries."</p><p>Continuing on the theme of Ukraine's pro-European reforms, Stefanishyna adds: "Completing the seven steps [required by the EU Commission] doesn't mean completing the reforms. The reforms should be continuous. We should show permanently the sustainability of this transformation and the results of it. Setting up the anti-corruption infrastructure is one thing, but making it work is a different thing."</p><p>Stefanishyna admits th