Zelenskyy demands clear timeline for Ukraine's EU membership
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine expects concrete decisions from the European Union regarding its future membership. Kyiv believes that delays in the process create additional risks amid the war and pressure from Russia, according to a Financial Times publication.
Ukraine seeks clear EU accession date
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the European Union to end uncertainty and name a concrete timeline for the country’s accession.
He said Ukraine expects the process to move as quickly as possible, suggesting 2027 could serve as a reference point, and called for a specific date to be announced.
Zelenskyy also warned against a situation in which future leaders or the next generation could face prolonged delays, arguing that Russia might otherwise be able to block Ukraine’s EU membership for decades.
Negotiations and Moscow's actions
Speaking about peace talks, Zelenskyy said Vladimir Putin is attempting to use contacts with Donald Trump to pressure Kyiv and weaken its position.
He argued that Russia is trying to influence both Trump and the wider international community, adding that Moscow seeks to appear convincing despite being unreliable.
Ukraine's position on ending war
The president rejected claims that Ukraine might use a potential pause in fighting to prepare a new offensive, describing such suggestions as misleading.
He said Russia is also suffering significant losses and may need a pause as much as Ukraine but stressed that Kyiv is focused on ending the war rather than seeking a temporary break.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine needs a ceasefire urgently, not a pause, but a definitive end to the war.
Frontline situation and Donbas
Citing Ukrainian intelligence, Zelenskyy said Russia’s advances come at a high cost and that some areas Moscow claims to control are not fully under its authority.
He added that Ukrainian forces are making progress in certain sectors.
The president also dismissed the idea that the war would end if Ukraine agreed to leave Donbas, saying he does not believe this represents Russia’s full set of demands and reiterating that Moscow cannot be trusted.
Zelenskyy also said NATO should treat the Lishchyna missile system as a legitimate military target and that Ukraine will separately assess threats coming from Belarus. According to him, Russia has not yet transferred all such missiles there but has already delivered the necessary equipment, describing the move as an attempt to demonstrate strength and pressure European countries.
He further suggested that Ukraine may conduct operations against infrastructure used to support Shahed-type drones in Belarus, including relay systems recently deployed to guide strikes against Ukrainian targets such as energy facilities and civilian sites.
