Vitaly Saenko, Veronica Prokhorenko15:52, 04.11.23

The head of the EC noted that Kyiv has shown success in implementing the necessary reforms.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine has made significant progress in implementing the reforms necessary to join the EU.

This will be officially certified as part of a report that the department plans to present next week. According to an UNIAN correspondent, the head of the EC said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kyiv.

The President of the European Commission emphasized that Ukraine’s path to the EU is the most important topic.

“I must say that you have made significant progress. It is amazing to see this. We will witness this next week when the European Commission presents its report on enlargement,” von der Leyen said.

According to her, the EU was surprised by the implemented Ukrainian reforms during the war. 

“We must never forget that you are fighting a war for existence, and at the same time, you are deeply reforming your country,” von der Leyen said. 

She emphasized that Ukraine has demonstrated many successes in reforming the justice system, curbing oligarchic control, combating money laundering and in many other areas.

“This is the result of hard work. I know that you are in the process of completing outstanding reforms. If this happens, I am confident that Ukraine will be able to realize its ambitious goal of moving to the next stage of the accession process,” von der Leyen said. 

In turn, Zelensky said that Ukraine is awaiting a political decision to begin negotiations on Ukraine’s acquisition of membership in the European Union.

“This decision will have a turning point for the history of not only Ukraine, but also the whole of Europe,” Zelensky said. 

He said the start of negotiations would mean several fundamental things.

“First, there will be no more gray geopolitical zones in Europe. Second, we will provide a new basis for the growth of both Ukraine and all European countries. And third, we guarantee our state and the Ukrainian people real economic and social security,” Zelensky said.

The head of state emphasized that during a full-scale war, Ukraine does not stop on the path to implementing the necessary reforms.

“We clearly recognize that membership in the European Union is recognition of the corresponding institutional development of each country and is based on specific merits in protecting European rules of life. That is why Ukraine does not ask for concessions for itself on the way to the European Union and implements all the recommendations of the European Commission that were provided to our state, and are necessary to begin negotiations on membership,” Zelensky said.

He assured that Ukraine does not stop in the process of transforming the state and reforms will continue.

According to him, a bill on the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada – it must create additional conditions for the anti-corruption system to function effectively. A bill on lobbying is also being prepared, which should add transparency to political processes and reliably protect the state from the destructive influence of oligarchs. 

Ukraine is quickly implementing the necessary steps to join the EU

As you know, next week the European Commission is due to present a report on enlargement, which will focus on Ukraine’s implementation of seven recommendations in order to begin accession negotiations. EU leaders are due to give the green light to start negotiations in December.

On September 26, 2023, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers Denis Shmyhal said that Ukraine has almost completed the implementation of all necessary recommendations to begin a new stage of negotiations on accession to the European Union. In the summer, foreign media wrote that Ukraine had fulfilled 2 out of 7 recommendations for EU membership. 

(C)UNIAN 2023