European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, currently on a visit to Ukraine, says she is “hopeful” that accession negotiations could open this year between Kyiv and the European Union.
“The future of Ukraine is in the European Union,” said Metsola, who met President Volodymyr Zelensky in the western city of Lviv.
“I am impressed by the pace at which the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) and the government are moving forward with the EU application,” Metsola said, whose visiting Ukraine for the second time since the war began.
The EU granted candidate status to Ukraine last June, four months after the launch of the Russian offensive.
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The next step on the long and difficult road to EU integration is the opening of accession negotiations, a decision that must be taken by member states unanimously after a proposal from the Commission. For this, Ukraine must carry out reforms to meet the EU’s criteria for the rule of law and democracy.
“Ukraine aims to complete the implementation of the European Commission’s recommendations as soon as possible and start EU accession negotiations as early as this year,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a message posted on Telegram after his meeting with Metsola, while thanking the European Parliament President for her support.
