In addition to the defensive fight against Russia, Ukraine is also carrying out reforms. That’s why she hopes for early negotiations about joining the EU. The news at a glance.
Kiev – After EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Kiev, the Ukrainian government says it expects EU accession negotiations to begin this year.
“Today I heard positive signals from the President of the EU Commission regarding our progress towards starting negotiations,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening video message. Von der Leyen had previously certified successes in its reform efforts for Ukraine, which has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for more than 20 months.
The EU heads of state and government are due to decide on the start of accession negotiations in December. In his speech, Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainians should get used to becoming part of the European Union. The time is approaching when the Ukrainian flag will fly in Brussels with the flags of other EU states. “I would like to thank President von der Leyen for her strong and fundamental support.”
It is not about the EU telling Ukraine anything, emphasized Zelensky, with a view to the fight against corruption that Brussels has repeatedly called for. “The transformation of our country is something that we ourselves need,” he said. Despite the war, Ukraine received EU candidate status at record speed and has now created the conditions for the start of negotiations on accession.
Von der Leyen wants to present the EU progress report on Ukraine this Wednesday. The country has reached many milestones on the way to joining the European Union, she said. Von der Leyen mentioned reforming the justice system, curbing the influence of oligarchs and combating money laundering. She arrived on Saturday morning for her sixth visit to the country since the Russian war of aggression began on February 24, 2022.
Von der Leyen praises Ukraine’s reform successes
According to von der Leyen, Ukraine now almost completely meets the requirements for EU accession negotiations. “You are already well over 90 percent of the way there,” she said in a speech to the Supreme Rada, Ukraine’s parliament. Much greater progress has already been made than could be expected from a country at war.
“You are waging an existential war and at the same time you are in the process of fundamentally reforming your country,” von der Leyen said after a meeting with Zelensky. The milestones achieved so far commanded her respect. “This is the result of hard work and I know that you are working to complete the outstanding reforms.”
The 27 EU states must decide unanimously to begin accession negotiations. Commission circles recently said that Ukraine had made great progress, but that it would probably not yet be possible to assess all seven requirements as fully met. It is therefore likely that the EU states will be recommended to decide on the start of accession negotiations, but to only set the first negotiation date after all reform requirements have been met.
Zelensky does not see a stalemate in the war with Russia
President Zelensky, however, dismissed Army Commander-in-Chief Valery Zalushny’s fears that the war could get bogged down at this stage. “Today people are tired, everyone is getting tired, and there are different opinions. That is clear, but there is no stalemate,” Zelensky said. In an article for the British magazine The Economist, General Zalushnyj declared that Ukraine was trapped in a trench warfare.
Because of Russian air superiority, the Ukrainians are more cautious about deploying their soldiers, Zelensky explained. The F-16 fighter jets expected next year and stronger air defense would change the situation in Ukraine’s favor.
Ukraine is defending itself against the Russian invasion with massive Western aid. The major counteroffensive to liberate their Russian-occupied territories has fallen far short of the goals they set themselves. In his article, Saluzhnyj admitted mistakes in the planning. The West must enable Ukraine to change this situation with new arms deliveries. He also called for greater mobilization to expand the number of men subject to military service in order to catch up with the numerically superior Russian enemy.
What is important today
In eastern Ukraine, fighting continues over the industrial city of Avdiivka. Russian troops expect to soon be able to occupy the heavily destroyed city. The Russian-controlled regional capital Donetsk is just a few kilometers south of Avdiivka. dpa
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