Negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU will begin in the first half of 2024, – OP

Belgium will then preside over the Council of the EU.

The Office of the President of Ukraine expects that negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union will begin in the first half of 2024 – during Belgium’s presidency of the EU Council. This was announced by Deputy Head of the OP Igor Zhovkva following the results of the working visit of the President of Ukraine to Belgium.

He stressed that today Ukraine managed to achieve “concrete results” in Belgium. In particular, Zhovkva recalled that Belgium has become the fourth partner country of Ukraine in the coalition of modern fighters. After the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, the country also announced its readiness to provide combat aircraft to our state.

In addition, the OP recalled that Belgium is ready to do and is already making a significant contribution to the training of engineering and technical personnel to service F-16 fighters in Ukraine, and will also provide its aircraft for a training mission in Denmark.

At the same time, Belgium plays a leading role in the practical implementation of the decision to introduce effective sanctions against Russian diamonds in the 12th EU sanctions package. In particular, the country is ready to introduce a certification procedure that would prevent diamonds originating from the Russian Federation from entering world markets in circumvention of sanctions.

Also today in Belgium, state leaders discussed the possibility of using Russian assets that are under Belgian jurisdiction (about 1.7 billion euros) for the needs of rebuilding Ukraine as early as January 1, 2024.

“It is during the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU (the first half of 2024) that the actual start of negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the EU will begin. And here the Belgian presidency will not be limited to symbolism – our partner will support Ukraine from the very “institutional heart” of the EU,” noted Zhovkva.

Zelensky arrived on a visit to Belgium

During his visit to Belgium, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky met with the country’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Zelensky called the meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium “fruitful” and noted that it had “a very good result.”

In particular, the leaders of the countries discussed defense cooperation, sanctions against Russia, Ukraine’s accession to NATO and the EU, as well as the restoration of Ukraine.

(C)UNIAN 2023