Deputy PM: Ukraine hopes to begin EU accession talks in June
The EU should be able to offer a negotiating framework to begin the process of Ukraine’s ascension to the European Union in June, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said during a press briefing on April 16, as reported by the Hromadske news outlet.
Stefanishyna, who is in Brussels this week to meet with European foreign ministers, said Kyiv is receiving "optimistic indicators" about upcoming negotiations.
In November 2023, the European Commission — the Union's executive arm — recommended the launch of accession talks with Kyiv but said four additional reforms must be implemented. The European Council then agreed to open accession talks with Ukraine the following month.
Katarina Mathernova, the current EU ambassador to Ukraine, said that Kyiv must first carry out "fundamental institutional reforms" to improve the rule of law and the judicial system before formally joining the European Union.
"This is not a secret; it is something we talk about openly, which is required not only from Ukraine but from everyone who wants to join the EU," Mathernova said.
Stefanishyna announced earlier this year that Ukraine had fulfilled all four recommendations set forth by the European Commission to approve the framework for Ukraine's EU accession negotiations.
The Commission then proposed a draft framework for the membership talks with Ukraine on the same day.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal later said that European Council President Charles Michel had named 2030 as a possible target year for further EU enlargement but added that the Commission would work to try to integrate Ukraine on a faster timeline.
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