Ukraine’s accession to the EU: Zelensky expects negotiations to start soon. Joschka Fischer warns: “It is difficult not to think of the year 1914.”

Following the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj expects EU accession negotiations to begin this year.

“Today I heard positive signals from the President of the European Commission about our progress in starting negotiations,” Zelensky said in his evening video message broadcast on Saturday.

Von der Leyen had previously achieved success for Ukraine, which has been defending itself against Russia’s war of aggression for more than twenty months (more on this below).

What’s next?

The EU’s heads of state or government will decide in December on the start of accession negotiations. In his speech, Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainians must get used to integration into the EU. The time is approaching when the Ukrainian flag will fly in Brussels, together with the flags of other EU countries. “I would like to thank President von der Leyen for her strong and fundamental support.”

It is not about the EU telling Ukraine anything, Zelensky emphasized, in view of 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 has been granted EU candidate status in record time and has now created the conditions for starting accession negotiations.

How well is Ukraine doing?

Von der Leyen wants to present the EU progress report on Ukraine next Wednesday. Ukraine has achieved many milestones on its way to joining the European Union, as desired by Kiev.

Von der Leyen mentioned reforming the legal system, curbing the influence of oligarchs and combating money laundering. She arrived Saturday morning for her sixth visit to the country since the Russian attack began on February 24, 2022.

(dsc/sda/dpa)