EU leaders decided on Thursday to make Ukraine and Moldova official candidates for membership of the European Union, European Council President Charles Michel announced on Twitter. “A historic moment. Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU,” Michel wrote on Twitter. War-torn Ukraine and close neighbour Moldova have lobbied for months to start the long process of joining the 27-member bloc. EU accession, a politically fraught and legally complex process, can drag on for years or even decades. Being an official candidate for membership is the first step of many in joining the EU …