Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Thursday called on the European Union to open negotiations during 2023 in order to continue taking steps towards accession to the bloc, insisting that «mentally» Ukraine and Europe are already united.
Speaking to the 15 or so members of the European Commission who have come to Kiev to discuss Ukraine’s accession progress face-to-face, Zelenski has set a deadline of this year for the bloc to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. «What is the target? I want to make it very clear: this year should be the time when there are no obstacles left for the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s full accession to the EU,» he has assured.
Zelenski has insisted that Ukraine and Europe are united and Kiev is ‘de facto’ another member of the European Union. «It is no longer possible to imagine a united Europe, a united European society without Ukraine,» he said, but stressed that now «the key step» is the start of accession negotiations.
«I hope that we will be able to announce this important step very soon,» he noted. In this sense, the Ukrainian leader assured that his country is advancing in the reform agenda at the same speed that was used for the accession application and now expects «important decisions in spring», in reference to the report to be presented by Brussels on Ukraine’s progress on the Community path.
Brussels and the EU-27 have so far taken unprecedented steps to bring Ukraine closer to the EU, granting it candidate status in record time. Now the opening of negotiations will depend on a positive opinion of the European Executive and the unanimous decision of the Member States.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
