Ukraine has done all to obtain EU candidate status - president

Ukraine has done everything possible to obtain the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video address, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that the positive opinion of the European Commission on Ukraine's EU candidate status brings the country closer to the beginning of full European integration. According to him, this is a historical achievement of all those who work for Ukraine.

"The only thing left is to wait for the decision of the European Council next week. And I believe that Ukraine has done everything possible for this step to be positive as well – the decision of the European Council, i.e. the leaders of the EU states," Zelensky said.

In his opinion, Ukraine deserves this. "Ukrainian values are European values. Ukrainian institutions maintain resilience even in conditions of war. Ukrainian democratic habits have not lost their power even now. And our rapprochement with the European Union is not only positive for us. This is the greatest contribution to the future of Europe in many years," Zelensky said.

He recalled that after February 24, Ukraine joined the European energy system. The Ukrainian and EU power grids have been synchronized despite the full-scale war.

"Even this fact alone shows everything at once - the professionalism of our people, the strength of our institutions, our ability to fulfill promises and the magnitude of Ukraine's potential," the president said.

At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine's European integration is not something purely political, not something detached from the lives of ordinary people. He noted that on the contrary, it will create more opportunities to guarantee all Ukrainians a modern and prosperous life.

The European Commission on June 17 recommended that the European Council confirm Ukraine's perspective to become a member of the EU and grant it candidate status.

Representatives of the European Council will hold a substantive discussion on granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union at a meeting on June 23-24.