Ukraine’s accession to the EU will solve the food problem and stimulate the development of the bloc’s economy.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said that Ukraine’s accession to the EU will solve the food problem and “is of fundamental importance” for his country. He also explained that Ukraine’s accession would provide the bloc with an “economic opportunity” because there has been “economic dynamism” every time there has been an expansion and also because it is a “clearly pro-Atlantic country.”

“We in Europe need Atlantic allies,” Rangel said, dismissing the idea that enlargement would be a “turn to the east.”

At the same time, the head of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry said that if Ukraine joins the EU, farmers will have “many problems”, so they will need to pay compensation.

“This also applies to Moldova, it applies to the Balkans, it applies to Georgia,” he added, referring to other EU candidate countries.