This is reported by Kyiv24
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine is technically ready to open all negotiation clusters regarding its accession to the European Union as early as the first half of 2026. He made this announcement during a joint press conference in Vilnius with the presidents of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, and Poland, Karol Nawrocki.
Prospects for Ukraine’s Eurointegration
According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s EU membership is an integral part of a system of specific security guarantees that allow for the establishment of clear timelines for the end of the war. The president also noted that agreements with the European Union rank second after bilateral security guarantees that Ukraine seeks to achieve with the United States. He emphasized the importance of initiatives such as the “Coalition of the Willing” and eurointegration for ensuring the economic and security stability of the state.
“These are economic security guarantees for Ukraine. We want 2027 – we are talking about a specific date when Ukraine will be ready. That is, technically, Ukraine will be ready in the first half of 2026 to open all clusters. It will be fully technically ready in 2027, in our opinion,” he said.
EU Membership as an Element of Peace Agreements
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine’s integration into the European Union should become part of future peace agreements. He advocates for the establishment of a specific date in the treaty to end the war to avoid blocking the process in the future and to ensure that all parties, including the aggressor country, fulfill the agreements.
The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, confirmed support for Ukraine’s EU membership by 2030. At the same time, the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, refrained from naming specific timelines but emphasized that Ukraine’s strategic direction is toward Western civilization.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that EU membership is a key security guarantee for Ukraine. This issue is also included in the 20-point peace plan being discussed between Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union.
Media reports have emerged indicating that representatives of the European Commission are considering using the prospect of Ukraine’s EU membership to reach agreements, including territorial concessions in favor of Russia. Experts believe that EU membership could be presented to Ukrainian society as an important achievement.