Zelensky told the head of the European Parliament about Kyiv’s desire to start negotiations on joining the EU

Ukraine seeks to complete the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission as soon as possible and start negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union this year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting in Lviv with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

Zelensky, as noted in his Telegram channel, thanked the head of the EP for his leadership in supporting Ukraine from the first days of the conflict and the important decisions taken by the body. So, on March 1, 2022, on the second day after Kyiv applied for EU membership, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on support and the need to grant Ukraine candidate status.

“Ukraine seeks to complete the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission as soon as possible and start negotiations on EU accession this year,” the head of state said.

Zelensky signed an application for Ukraine’s membership in the EU on February 28, 2022. In the summer of the same year, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the heads of state and government of the European Union at the summit in Brussels approved granting Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates for joining the organization. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said at the same time that Ukraine “clearly demonstrated the commitment to live by European values ​​and standards.” According to her, Kyiv began its path to the EU even before Russia’s special operation, and by now the Ukrainian side “has already fulfilled 70% of the EU requirements.”

Among the political reforms that must be carried out in Ukraine to start negotiations, the European Commission named changes in judicial oversight and efforts to reduce the influence of oligarchs.

At the same time, the delegate for European affairs at the French Foreign Ministry, Clement Bon, emphasized that Ukraine would not be able to quickly join the European Union without observing all the stipulated conditions. According to him, the country faces a long process of accession to the EU, since a unanimous decision of all member states is needed, including France, where a referendum may be required.

French President Emmanuel Macron said last year that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would take many years. The head of state added that “Ukraine is already a member of the European family” and suggested creating a “European political community” that could accept it into its ranks.

At the end of January, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal stated that Ukraine counts join the European Union within the next two years. After that, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanyshina informedthat negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU may begin as early as 2023, as political reforms are being carried out very quickly in the country.