In a video address on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine announced that the country, along with the European Commission, will soon evaluate Ukraine’s progress in aligning its legislation with that of the European Union. He also stated that a framework for EU accession talks is expected in the spring.
Zelenskiy reminded the country that EU leaders had recently decided to launch formal membership talks with Ukraine at a summit on Thursday. However, Ukraine is currently facing uncertainty over the future of essential foreign assistance, particularly from the United States.
Zelenskiy said, “In the coming days, with the European Commission, we will officially launch the process of assessing Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU legislation — the screening process. We are also preparing for the work on the negotiating framework for Ukraine. We expect it in the spring.”
After Moscow’s February 2022 invasion, Brussels offered Kyiv candidate status, prompting a rapid push by Ukrainian authorities to reform priority areas identified by the European Commission.
Last month, the commission reported that Ukraine had fulfilled four of its seven recommendations, including the hiring of anti-corruption officials, preparing the judiciary for a major overhaul, and aligning media legislation with EU standards.
The commission plans to reassess Ukraine’s progress in March, which is part of the lengthy and intricate pathway to membership. The EU’s ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, has described this process as gruelling.
(Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv; additional reporting, writing by Elaine Monaghan in Washington, editing by Giles Elgood)
