Positive political decision regarding Ukraine’s EU accession to be seen in December

The Deputy Head of the Office of Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration said this during a telethon.

She pointed out that certain countries and officials are attempting to manipulate the situation to advance their own interests.

"We can already see that certain countries or even European officials are engaging in manipulation, trying to insert their personal preferences into the documents being prepared by the European Commission. Additionally, there are unfriendly countries that aim to diminish Ukraine's progress and undermine our efforts," explained the Deputy Prime Minister.

Stefanishyna emphasized that Ukraine addresses each such situation individually and urged partners not to be swayed.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and handling each case individually. We also encourage our allies to resist manipulation, especially when it concerns Ukraine's European integration. Ultimately, this is the choice of the Ukrainian people, and I am confident that our position is strong, and we will see a favorable political decision in December," she concluded.

Ukraine's accession to the EU

Kyiv applied for EU membership on February 28, 2022, at the start of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine.

On June 23, 2022, Ukraine was granted candidate status for EU membership.

In May, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine should be ready to join the EU in two years – the country expects to receive a political decision to start accession negotiations this year.

During a speech in parliament on Constitution Day, President Zelenskyy proposed five points of the Ukrainian Doctrine for discussion.

According to Espreso's sources, the European Parliament is considering the possibility of starting negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU this fall.

However, on August 17, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said that Ukraine would not be able to implement all 7 EU recommendations by October, as these are changes that have been implemented over the years.

The next day, Maria Mezentseva, Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine's Integration with the EU, noted that it is necessary to wait for the October report of the European Commission on the implementation of 7 EU recommendations by Ukraine.

On August 28, European Council President Charles Michel said that the European Union should be ready to accept new member states by 2030. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, expressed support for setting a tentative time frame for new members to join the EU.

On September 8, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU should begin by the end of this year. According to him, clear European perspective will inspire Ukrainians on the battlefield.

On September 21, the head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, Davyd Arakhamia, said that the Ukrainian parliament has passed 99.9% of what is needed to start negotiations on EU membership.