Zelenskyy highlights Italy’s role in Ukraine’s EU accession path
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine has declared its readiness to open the first cluster in the EU accession negotiations this year, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.
Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and to Italy for supporting Ukraine at the EU level, noting that this support is highly appreciated.
He emphasized that such support is important from every point of view, particularly in the context of Ukraine’s progress in its EU accession talks.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready to open the first negotiation cluster and is also preparing to open additional clusters later this year.
Ukraine’s EU accession
Ukraine has not yet officially launched negotiations on joining the European Union, despite EU member state leaders having made the relevant decision back in late 2023.
The start of the negotiation process is currently being blocked by Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán even initiated a public survey to find out their attitude to Ukraine's future membership in the EU.
Nevertheless, Ukraine remains determined — the country plans to fully meet all EU membership criteria by 2027.
According to Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Kyiv is currently staying on track with its planned timeline and steadily fulfilling its obligations on the path to the EU.
Moreover, Stefanishyna recently stated that Ukraine expects to open all negotiation clusters by the end of 2025.
