I don't think the EU wants any new members. It's already barely working ; the UK have just exited. And the EU is not a military alliance like NATO, so it offers

I don't think the EU wants any new members. It's already barely working ; the UK have just exited. And the EU is not a military alliance like NATO, so it offers no protection. Politically, it would have been much harder for Putin to justify an invasion for sure. But... politically as well, Ukraine is far from meeting EU requirements in terms of rule of law and democratic aptitude. As was Turkey when it wanted to join. As a French, I think that the EU should have waited far longer before admitting some Eastern countries. Hungary and Poland have proved - for example - not being ready by lack of democratic depth. Democracy is something that a people needs to learn. And it can be unlearned, as the US and France prove - even if the issues are quite different in each country.