Ukraine, because of its struggle and because of its courage, is already a member of our Europe, our family, our union. Such a statement made today the President of France, speaking before the European Parliament during the closing ceremony of a conference on Europe’s future.

But, Emmanuel Macron said, accession could take several years or even several decades “unless we decide to lower the standards for accession and rethink the unity for our Europe”.

He suggested a “European community” as a new space for political cooperation on the continent.

“This new European organisation would allow democratic European nations adhering to our core values to find a new space for political cooperation, cooperation in security, energy, transport, infrastructure investment and in the movement of people, and in particular our youth”, - said Macron.