Slovakia ready to assist Ukraine on country's path toward EU - Ukrainian PM
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (t.me/Denys_Smyhal)
Slovakia is ready to share its experience on Ukraine's path to the European Union (EU) and to provide expert assistance, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The second intergovernmental consultation took place today, October 7.
“During this time, our countries have made progress in implementing the Roadmap for Joint Action, which was signed following the previous consultations. Some of the steps have been fully implemented, some are in the final stages. We have also made good progress in the implementation of energy and infrastructure projects,” he added.
The Prime Minister also reminded that Slovakia had recently approved a framework program for participation in the restoration of Ukraine.There are joint projects in energy, transport, and infrastructure that will contribute to the development of border regions.
They also discussed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula.
“I thanked Slovakia for its willingness to share its experience and provide expert assistance on Ukraine's path to the EU,” Shmyhal said and noted that they had reached an agreement to finalize eight bilateral documents that he hopes to sign by the end of this year.
Fico, for his part, notes that Slovakia supports Ukraine's accession to the EU and “will not put any obstacles in the process of its integration.”
“We know how useful it will be not only for us but also for you if we have another EU member state as a neighbor. We also need you to be close to us, because sometimes countries with different histories, different languages need to unite in the EU to create a counterweight to proposals that are not always beneficial to the whole Union,” the Slovak Prime Minister said.
Fico warns that there are countries in the EU that “will try in every way to make sure that Ukraine's accession process is not too fast.”
Ukraine's accession to the EU
Ukraine officially applied for membership in the European Union in late February 2022, immediately after the outbreak of a full-scale war.
The country was granted candidate status. In December 2023, EU leaders decided to start negotiations with Ukraine on membership.
On June 25, 2024, official accession negotiations between Ukraine and the EU began. The first intergovernmental conference was held in Luxembourg.
