First steps can be taken this spring: Zelenskyy on EU accession talks
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine may take its first negotiating steps towards joining the European Union as early as spring 2024, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's evening address.
"Today I also held a meeting on the European direction - our relations with the European Union, the tasks for this year, integration in general, and specifically on relations with our neighbors in the European Union. Our priority is clear: all existing agreements must be implemented, and every word that is spoken must be put into practice," Zelenskyy says.
He notes that Ukraine is ensuring precisely this approach in its European direction, and it has already achieved historic results as a result.
"This year should be a time for real negotiations on accession. We can start as early as spring and take the first negotiating steps," the president emphasizes.
Negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU
In December, the leaders of EU member states at the summit in Brussels approved the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
In fact, negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU have not yet begun, as screening of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU requirements is currently underway, and a negotiation framework is being formed.
As the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, shared in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, negotiations could start as early as spring.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, recently announced that the negotiating framework for Ukraine's accession to the European Union would be ready by roughly the beginning of summer.
