Zelensky: European integration days in Kyiv yield powerful results
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that two European integration days in Kyiv yielded powerful results.
He said this at a press conference on the results of the Ukraine-EU Summit, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"Two European integration days in Kyiv yielded powerful results. Such results include a positive assessment of Ukraine's implementation of the seven recommendations, the approval of an action plan for further integration of the Ukrainian economy’s sectors into the EU common market, a decision to allocate EUR 1 billion for projects within the Fast Recovery Plan, additional funding for the defense of our state, the decision to speed up the preparations of a tenth package of sanctions of the EU against the aggressor, the decision to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU as soon as possible," Zelensky said.
In addition, the President noted the EU's support for Ukraine’s Peace Formula and the need to hold a Peace Formula summit.
In particular, Zelensky said that the security and support of Ukrainian soldiers were discussed at the Summit.
"Russia is trying to change the situation at the front in its favor. To prevent this, the key point for us is to expand the supply of weapons from our partners. These are the conditions when we have more long-range weapons, our artillery is better equipped, the sooner modern Western tanks will start operating on the battlefield in Ukraine, the stronger our air defense will be, the sooner Russia's aggression will end and the more guaranteed protection of European security and freedom will be. The freedom of Ukraine, the freedom of Europe, the freedom of the world," the President said, thanking everyone who understands this situation and helps Ukraine accordingly.
He also thanked for the European Union's decision to allocate another EUR 500 million tranche within the European Peace Fund.
According to him, the strengthening of sanctions against Russia was discussed at the Summit, in particular, Ukraine's expectations from the EU tenth package of sanctions.
In addition, the statement following the results of the Summit recorded the joint vision of its participants regarding the need to create a legal mechanism to bring to justice those responsible for Russia's crimes.
Officials also discussed the use of frozen Russian assets to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine.
"We will also strengthen the corresponding cooperation," Zelensky emphasized.
According to him, a separate topic of negotiations was Ukraine’s further integration into the European Union.
He also added that one of the important achievements of the Summit was progress in Ukraine’s integration into the EU internal market.
"We approved a priority action plan for 2023-2024. Its implementation will make Ukraine a de facto member of the European Union at the level of economic sectors - industry, agricultural sector, energy, digital services, transport, financial sphere, and customs,” Zelensky said.
As reported, the 24th Ukraine-EU summit was held in Kyiv on February 3.
Photo: President’s Office