Zelensky: Ukraine doesn’t need alternative to EU membership

28.05.2022 14:53

Ukrinform

The option of the European political community proposed by President of France Emmanuel Macron for countries that are not formal members of the European Union is not acceptable to Ukraine.

Zelensky said this in an interview with the Nieuwsuur Dutch media outlet, Ukrinform reports.

Answering the journalist's question about the acceptability of "alternative to EU membership", proposed by Macron, he said: "No, I don't think [it’s acceptable] ... We don't need it. We just need support from these countries, we don't want an alternative."

He added that such an initiative echoed the proposals of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"I think they have their own assumptions about this, their common assumption. We don't need that," the President concluded.

As reported, on May 9, President of France Emmanuel Macron announced an initiative to create a new "European political community" so that countries which are not formal members of the EU could join the new space in Europe. He mentioned Ukraine as well.

On May 22, Clément Beaune, Minister of State for European Affairs, said that the process of Ukraine's accession to the European Union could take 15 or 20 years.