Ukraine's EU Membership - European Commission will soon conclude its opinion

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ウクライナのEU加盟 ヨーロッパ委員会が近く意見書まとめる

2022年6月12日 1時21分

EU＝ヨーロッパ連合のフォンデアライエン委員長はウクライナの加盟申請について、EUの執行機関・ヨーロッパ委員会が近く意見書をまとめるという見通しを示しました。この意見書を判断材料にEUすべての加盟国が同意すれば、ウクライナは交渉開始の前提となる「加盟候補国」として認められることになります。

EUのフォンデアライエン委員長は11日、ウクライナの首都キーウを訪れ、ゼレンスキー大統領と会談したあと共同で記者会見しました。

ゼレンスキー大統領は「ロシアはヨーロッパを分断し弱体化させようとしており、ヨーロッパ全体が標的となっている」と述べたうえで、EU加盟を申請したウクライナを「加盟候補国」として認めるよう訴えました。

EUの執行機関・ヨーロッパ委員会は現在ウクライナの加盟申請についての意見書をまとめていて、フォンデアライエン委員長は「きょうの議論で来週末までに作業を終えることが可能になった」と述べ、近く意見書をまとめるという見通しを示しました。

この意見書を判断材料にEUの加盟国すべてが同意すれば、ウクライナは交渉開始の前提となる「加盟候補国」として認められることになります。

EU加盟国は今月下旬の首脳会議で、ウクライナの加盟申請をめぐって協議する見通しです。

Translation

 EU - European Union Chairman Von der Leyen indicated that the EU executive body, the European Commission, would soon conclude a written opinion on the application for membership in Ukraine. If all EU member states agreed on this opinion as a basis for judgment, Ukraine would be recognized as a "Candidate member state" that was a prerequisite for the start of negotiations.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine on the 11th, and after meeting with President Zelensky, held a joint press conference.

President Zelensky said, "Russia is trying to divide and weaken Europe, and the whole of Europe is targeted," and appealed to recognize Ukraine, which applied for EU membership, as a "candidate country".

The EU executive body, the European Commission, was currently compiling a written opinion on Ukraine's application for accession, and Chairman Von der Leyen said, "Today's discussions have made it possible to finish the work by next weekend", showing a prospect of compiling a written opinion soon. 

If all EU member states agreed on this opinion as a basis for judgment, Ukraine would be recognized as a "candidate country" that was a prerequisite for starting the negotiations.

EU member states were expected to discuss Ukraine's application for membership at a summit meeting later this month.

So, EU member states are expected to discuss Ukraine's application for membership at a summit meeting soon. In February when Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine’s application for EU membership was viewed by Putin as a move that had to be stopped. Now over one hundred days into the aggression, Putin has softened its stance in not insisting this. I am wondering why.