The European Commission on Friday recommended that war-torn Ukraine be formally nominated as a candidate for EU membership, a move that could open up a years-long path for EU membership.

The 27 EU member states must give Ukraine the green light to become a candidate, an issue the leaders will discuss at a summit in Brussels next week. Kyiv sees its opening to Ukraine as a highly symbolic moment as it seeks to cement its position in Europe in the face of a Russian invasion.

Some EU countries, such as the Netherlands, remain sceptical of being forced to accept pressure from Ukraine too quickly, but diplomats say they want leaders to sign a deal as a first step.

On Thursday, the leaders of the three EU powers, France, Germany and Italy, expressed support for Ukraine’s visit to Kyiv. If allowed to take the first step, Ukraine would still face a complex reform process, meaning it could take decades to join the EU.

Von der Leyen said Kyiv should be the candidate because the country will undergo several further important reforms before moving to the next stage of formal negotiations. She pointed to the need for judicial reform and greater efforts to root out widespread corruption and curb the influence of powerful oligarchs.

Von der Leyen announced that the committee also recommended that Moldova, Ukraine’s former Soviet neighbour, could run for election but delayed taking the same steps as Georgia.

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Moldova and Georgia, also partly occupied by Russia, are racing to join a shrinking EU in Kyiv. The EU chief said Georgia should be given a European perspective and could be a candidate if more reforms are made.