Progress in reforms is crucial for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal.
Ukraine would like to become a member of the European Union within 5-10 years, but this depends not only on Kiev, but also on 27 other EU member states. About this in an interview with the German edition Handelsblatt, published on March 22 on the government website, said the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal.
According to him, there are two reasons why Ukraine is still not in the EU.
“We are still working on European standards, but we are confident that we will achieve significant progress, not least thanks to digitalization. Secondly, there are also countries in the EU that are skeptical about the further expansion of the European Union,” Shmygal said.
He noted that progress in reforms is crucial for Ukraine’s accession to the EU. In particular, in the fight against corruption or in justice, European standards must be achieved.
Shmygal told Handelsblatt that Kiev is also negotiating with Brussels on an Agreement on a Common Aviation Space and Common Energy Market Standards.
“We are approaching Europe step by step, – the head of the Cabinet of Ministers stressed. – Ukraine is ready to become a member of the EU – we are striving for this. Many Ukrainians gave their lives in the war with Russia for this idea.”
Shmyhal added that in addition to the EU, Ukraine is also seeking membership in the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO).
September 16, 2014 the Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament synchronously approved the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU… September 1, 2017 entered into force in full.
February 7, 2019 Ukrainian parliament passed the bill on introducing into the Constitution a provision on the strategic course of the state for the acquisition of full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Law entered into force February 21.
In a joint interview with Polish President Andrzej Duda, which was released on October 13, 2020, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine should become an equal member of the European Union… Ukraine should become not just a member of the EU, but an equal participant in the union, he said.
On March 18, 2021, at a joint briefing with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Zelensky said that Ukraine will form a coalition of lobbyist countries for joining the EU.
According to the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ann Linde, Ukraine has the prospect of EU membership, this is enshrined in the Treaty on the European Union. However, to become a full member of the European Union, Ukraine must meet its criteria.
According to a social survey conducted on December 5-13, 2020 by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in conjunction with the Kiev International Institute of Sociology, 48% of Ukrainians believe that Ukraine must join the EU.
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