Hopeful Ukraine faces a long wait to join EU

Joining the European Union is like ‘‘waiting for Godot’’, Albania has told Ukraine, after denouncing membership application procedures as a ‘‘crooked charade’’.

The claims are embarrassing for EU leaders, coming just before Ukraine was yesterday offered the first step to becoming a member, joining a queue of other frustrated countries in the region.

Albania and North Macedonia have been waiting for years to begin EU ‘‘accession’’ talks, approved by the European Commission, but have been blocked by political wrangling.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama compared the EU’s procedures to the absurdist Samuel Beckett play because his country has been waiting for negotiations for years despite meeting conditions.

‘‘North Macedonia is a candidate for 17 years, if I have not lost count, Albania since eight,‘‘ he said. ‘‘It’s a good thing to give Ukraine the status. But I hope that Ukrainian people will not be under any illusions.’’

North Macedonia’s membership application, which is coupled to Albania’s, has been blocked by Bulgaria in a row over language and national identity.

President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, which has been an EU candidate country for a decade without full-blown membership talks, said the impasse on enlargement was ‘‘really not fair’’, and hit back at EU governments that have criticised Serbia for not following European sanctions on Russia. ‘‘The times when free and sovereign states could be blackmailed and pressured are long gone,’’ he said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed support for Balkan membership aspirations but ruled out enlargement until the EU scrapped national vetoes over decisions such as who can join.