DISINFO: The purpose of EU enlargement is to take over more land
SUMMARY
Politico explained the true meaning of EU enlargement. One reaction on a forum read: "Democracy? Rule of law? Human rights? Socio-economic development? No. Land. Just more new territories. "Putin wants more land. The EU wants to be there first" - reads the title of the article, which explains why EU officials are talking about a new wave of expansion. Cynical, but honest."
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative portraying the EU as an imperialist organisation with expansion ambitions.
The piece twists, misrepresents and try to treat as official European policy an analysis piece by the privately owned news magazine Politico.eu, -all with an aim to equivalate Russia's efforts to occupy parts of Ukraine to the EU enlargement process.
The EU’s enlargement policy aims to unite European countries in a common political and economic project. Guided by the Union’s values and subject to strict conditions, enlargement has proved to be one of the most successful tools in promoting political, economic and social reforms, and in consolidating peace, stability and democracy across the European continent. Enlargement policy also enhances the EU’s presence on the global stage.
The EU does not "take over land". Countries wishing to join the EU submit an application for EU membership, which is the first step in a long and often complex process. Provided that all EU Member States agree, formal membership negotiations can begin, a process that involves the adoption of established EU law, preparations to be in a position to properly apply and enforce it and implementation of judicial, administrative, economic and other reforms necessary for the country to meet the conditions for joining, known as accession criteria.
At the moment there are 8 candidate countries for joining the EU, Moldova and Ukraine among them.
See here similar disinfo case claiming that the West wants to force Ukraine to concede territory.