Ukraine's EU membership could boost EU economy – Costa

Ukraine could have a positive impact on overcoming vulnerabilities in the competitiveness of the European Union, which were discussed in a plan to stop the EU's economic decline.

European Council President Antonio Costa, who made a surprise visit to Kyiv on December 1, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

Speaking about significant benefits from Ukraine's accession to the EU, particularly in terms of natural resources, agriculture, energy, new technologies and defense, Costa noted that "high-skilled labor force" should be added to this.

"In all of those domains, Ukraine's contribution, once it becomes a member state, will be very positive for the EU competitiveness," Costa said.

In September 2024, former European Central Bank President and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi presented a 328-page report on the future competitiveness of the EU. The report underscores the urgency of unprecedented investment to address the EU's declining productivity and weak economic growth relative to the U.S. and China.

Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that Ukraine could offer substantial added value to the EU economy and help tackle the critical challenges outlined in Draghi’s report.