Ukraine is granted EU candidate status

The Heads of State and Government of the European Union adopted a decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership.

President of the European Council Charles Michel announced the decision on his Twitter page, Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Agreement. EUCO has just decided EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. A historic moment. Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU,” Michel wrote.

He congratulated President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu.

Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas congratulated Ukraine on receiving the EU candidate status.

"I am tremendously happy about this. This is the acknowledgment that Ukraine belongs to the European family. This is the acknowledgment for all the sacrifices that the Ukrainians have been doing since Maidan and doing now, dying on the battlefields, resisting the unjustified and unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation," he posted on Twitter.

"Now your European path is clear. Work will start tomorrow, with all EU reforms, but today we are celebrating. Glory to Ukraine!" Maasikas added.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an application for Ukraine's membership in the European Union on February 28.

In early April, during a visit to Kyiv, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave the Ukrainian side a questionnaire for obtaining EU candidate status.

Subsequently, the Ukrainian authorities completed and submitted both parts of the questionnaire to the EU.

On June 17, the European Commission published the conclusions on the applications for EU membership filed by Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia and recommended granting the candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova and the European perspective to Georgia.

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