EC recommends candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova

The European Commission has backed Ukraine and Moldova to become candidates for EU membership, the president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said at a press conference.

"We recommend giving Ukraine the candidate status, on the understanding that the country will carry out a number of important reforms.

"We also recommend granting Moldova the candidate status, on the understanding that the country will carry out reforms.

"Georgia must now come together politically to design a clear path towards structural reform and the EU. So we recommend granting the European perspective but to come back and assess how it meets a number of conditions before granting it candidate status," von der Leyen said.