Framework for Ukraine's EU accession will not be ready until June, EC head
Photo: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The negotiating framework for Ukraine's accession to the European Union will be ready by the beginning of summer, says the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a press conference in Brussels.
"We are making excellent progress on the screening process. That is very good. And we are still working on the negotiating framework. My best guess is that it will not be ready before the European election, but afterwards, because I see the development of different negotiation positions. This will take its time. But I guess around summer, [the] beginning of summer we are going to be ready," said von der Leyen.
It is worth adding that the European elections will be held in early June.
Ukraine's accession to the EU
In December, the leaders of the member states of the European Union approved the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc during the summit. This happened despite Hungary's threat to block such a decision.
As the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova recently told in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, negotiations can start in the spring.
The Cabinet of Ministers also recently approved a plan of measures to implement the recommendations of the European Commission for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU.
