Zelenskyy eyes expedited EU bid: Ukrainian president vows to begin accession talks by June
Ukraine's goal is to start negotiations on joining the European Union by June 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening address, emphasizeing that he had a "very specific conversation" with the President of the European Council Charles Michel on Thursday.
The head of state had a telephone conversation with the head of the European Council. Michel confirmed the "ironclad financial and military support" of Ukraine from the European Union "as much as it will be needed".
"Today I spoke with the President of the European Council Charles Michel. A very specific conversation, as much as possible - about our common interests, of all Europeans," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy and Michel discussed efforts towards European integration and the need to approve the negotiation framework for Ukraine as soon as possible - approval by the EU member states.
"The goal is absolutely rational - already in the first half of the year, even by June, we can start the negotiation process. And this will be the best signal to all those who do not believe in Europe that our unity is really getting stronger," he stressed.
At the same time, the President of the European Commission , Ursula von der Leyen, noted on Thursday that the draft negotiation framework for Ukraine's accession to the European Union is unlikely to be prepared before the start of the EU elections, which will take place in June this year.
On February 28, 2022, Zelenskyy signed the application for Ukraine's accession to the EU.
On December 14, 2023, the leaders of the EU member states made a political decision to start accession negotiations with Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is sure that Ukraine will not "get hung up" in the negotiations on joining the European Union, because "we have already passed the stage of getting hung up."
On January 26, Zelenskyy announced the beginning of the process of assessing the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU norms.
