Ukraine deserves to be part of EU - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine has earned the right to be a full-fledged member of the European Union.

The statement came as the president was speaking via video link with students of French schools and universities, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Zelensky stressed that Ukraine can only strengthen other EU nations as the Ukrainian Army has proved. He also underlined that Ukrainians are educated, cultured people who speak several languages. "It seems to me that this is a fairly proper society that deserves respect," he added.

The Ukrainian president mentioned a mutual willingness of Ukraine, on one hand, to join the EU, and of the EU, on the other hand – to welcome Ukraine in its family. "Ukraine cannot be held at a distance, that is, being admitted and not being admitted at the same time," Zelensky stressed.

He compared it to a situation where a man and a woman live together for years, and one always promises that they will soon get married but never goes beyond promises, and eventually a situation arises, which is critical in its uncertainty, and a suggestion emerges to "go find someone else."

"You can't live in such uncertainty all the time. It's as if the whole family is sitting at a table, someone has been invited, and yet you don't give them a chair. It seems to me, this is unfair," Zelensky added.

"Ukraine is equal to any other European state and respects the countries of the European Union, and at the same time wishes to be respected the same way. Noting more, nothing less," the president stressed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on May 9, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an initiative to create a new "European Political Community" so that countries that are not formal members of the EU, including Ukraine, could join the new space in Europe.