Deputy PM on Ukraine's readiness to join EU and NATO

She stated this in an interview with Voice of America.

Commenting on President of the European Council Charles Michel's statement regarding the EU's expansion preparations by 2030, Stefanishyna emphasized that this doesn't mean Ukraine has to wait for seven years to join.

She is confident that Ukraine can achieve the following in preparation:

• Engage in effective negotiations.
• Fulfill all obligations related to European standards.
• Create conditions for the Ukrainian economy's recovery, making it a competitive EU member.

"We aim to be ready for EU membership within the next two years. However, the ongoing war's progress will influence the decision-making process," the official stressed.

Simultaneously, Stefanishyna expressed optimism about Ukraine's NATO membership prospects.

"I believe that our NATO membership could come sooner. We anticipate victory and the end of the war, which will make one of the world's strongest and most renowned armies a major security guarantor for Europe and the entire European region," she concluded.

Ukraine's EU accession status

On February 28, 2022, Ukraine applied to join the European Union (EU) through a special procedure.

By June 23, 2022, Ukraine was granted the status of a candidate for EU membership.

In May, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine should be prepared to join the EU within two years, expecting a political decision to start accession negotiations this year.

According to sources of Espreso, the European Parliament is considering starting these negotiations in the fall of this year.

On August 17, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna mentioned that Ukraine might not fulfill all 7 EU recommendations by October because these changes take time.

On August 28, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, indicated that the EU should be ready to accept new member states by 2030, with support from the EU's High Representative for foreign policy and security, Josep Borrell.

Ukraine's NATO membership status

During the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11, decisions were made regarding Ukraine. The Membership Action Plan stage was canceled, and Ukraine will receive an invitation to join the Alliance once it meets the entry requirements and gains approval from all NATO allies.

On July 12, the G7 countries agreed on a joint declaration outlining security guarantees for Ukraine. Other nations interested in joining can also participate in this agreement.

Defense Minister Reznikov expressed the view on July 23 that Ukraine might become a NATO member in the summer of 2024. However, NATO countries have consistently stated that Ukraine's accession to the Alliance won't happen until the war with Russia ends.