Macron proposes new political union for non-EU countries

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — France’s president has warned that decades could pass before Ukraine joins the European Union, and is proposing a new political organization to bring together countries on the continent that share the bloc’s values but are not part of the EU. During a speech in Strasbourg, France, marking Europe Day, Emmanuel Macron said “we all know perfectly that the process of allowing them to join would take several years, in fact probably several decades.” Macron spoke after the European Union’s executive arm, the European Commission, said it aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraine’s bid to become a member of the bloc.