Zelensky: Negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership should start this year

At the end of 2023, the European Council should approve a decision to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, there is no alternative to this.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a meeting with the heads of foreign diplomatic missions, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The President noted that it was necessary to start negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union this year. He believes that Ukraine will be ready for this step.

In this context, Zelensky emphasized that the Verkhovna Rada should adopt all legislative acts that are part of the package for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership. According to him, the quality of the MPs' work on this package is a matter of national security since the European Union is economic and institutional security for Ukraine.

At the same time, the President noted that it was also a security issue for the European Union since any uncertainty regarding Ukraine is a weakness that "tempts" Russia to be aggressive and try to fill with its presence the room lacking cooperation and European institutions.

"The task of everyone who works in the capitals of the countries and institutions of the European Union is the utmost consolidation of Europe for the sake of common security and for the sake of common development. At the end of the year, the European Council should approve the decision to start negotiations on the accession of our state. And there is no alternative to this," the President emphasized.

As reported, on June 23, 2022, Ukraine received the EU candidate status. Kyiv must fulfill the seven requirements of the European Commission necessary to maintain candidate status. In the autumn of 2023, the European Commission should release a report assessing Ukraine's fulfillment of seven requirements on the way to joining the EU.