Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Ihor Zhovkva, said that Ukraine has already completed all four legislative steps set by the European Commission to actually start negotiations on accession to the European Union.
Ukraine has completed all four legislative steps to start negotiations on joining the EU
Zhovkva also emphasised that Ukraine is both substantively and structurally ready for the negotiation process.
We are waiting for the adoption of the negotiating framework after the European elections in June, as well as the convening of the first intergovernmental conference under the Belgian presidency,” he noted.
Zhovkva thanked Satunas for Ukraine's strong support in the fight against Russian aggression and assistance, and also noted the continued fruitful cooperation with Lithuania regarding the implementation of Ukraine's priorities on the way to the EU and NATO.
They also exchanged views on preparations for the inaugural Peace Summit on June 15-16 in Switzerland.
Accession of Ukraine to the EU
In September 2022, Denys Shmyhal stated in a Bloomberg television interview that Ukraine had fulfilled 65-70% of the Association Agreement with the EU. At the same time, at a press conference in Brussels, he said: "We have an ambition in the near future, by the end of this year - the beginning of next year, to go into the negotiation procedures that precede the actual granting of EU member status."
In May 2023, the prime minister said that Ukraine should be ready to join the European Union in two years.
On November 8, 2023, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU. On December 14, the European Council supported the start of negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership by 26 votes.
At the same time, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that Ukraine could join the European Union in 2030.
On March 20, 2024, Shmyhal said that negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union should begin by the end of June this year.
On April 25, the EU ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova said that the country is ready to start negotiations on joining the EU and expects them to start at the end of June.
On April 30, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine can start negotiations on joining the European Union in June.
