Senior EU Official: Ukraine Accession Talks "At Risk"

Reuters carrying comments from a senior European Union official stating, "green light from December EU leaders' summit to start accession talks with Ukraine is, 'at risk.'"

• On November 8, The European Commission approved a EU enlargement package which recommended opening accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova to join the bloc, expected to be initiated when heads of state and government meet at the EU leaders summit in Brussels, Dec 13-15.
• An EU diplomat told Politico that if the European Commission were to adopt the enlargement package, as it did in November, "the political push around that will just be too big for individual member states to resist. The working assumption is indeed that by December, the European Council will decide to open negotiations."
• The Atlantic Council notes that Ukraine's status is dependent on progress on 'key measures,' including, "limiting oligarch influence and establishing the legal framework and implementation of laws protecting the rights of national minorities, media, and education."