The Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution on Ukraine’s EU membership prospects, which MEPs adopted in support of the EU-Ukraine Summit in Kyiv.
In the document, MEPs called for “working towards the launch of accession negotiations and supporting a roadmap outlining the next steps to ensure Ukraine’s accession to the EU single market.”
“The European Parliament reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s future membership in the EU following the country’s official application on February 28, 2022. MEPs emphasized that accession is a merit-based process, which requires compliance with the relevant procedures, as well as the implementation of EU-related reforms and accession criteria. They also invite the Ukrainian authorities to implement substantial reforms as soon as possible to effectively align with the EU membership criteria,” explained the resolution’s provisions the Vice Speaker Olena Kondratiuk.
The document specifically emphasizes that the EU should strengthen its support for Ukraine.
“The European Parliament calls on the EU member states to increase and accelerate military assistance to Kyiv, including the provision of weapons, as well as substantial political, economic, infrastructural, financial and humanitarian support,” the resolution says.
Olena Kondratiuk expressed her gratitude to President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and her fellow MEPs for their consistent and strong support of Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
“Even in the context of a full-scale war, the Verkhovna Rada has proved that we are ready to work as smoothly as possible when it comes to bringing Ukraine’s membership in the European Union closer and fulfilling the relevant criteria. In 2022, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted 50 European integration laws. This made it possible to obtain the status of a candidate country for EU membership, fulfil the seven main criteria of the European Commission and open the way for the start of accession negotiations,” the Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament said.
Olena Kondratiuk also assured that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “is determined to work and move forward, adapting Ukrainian legislation to European standards in order to realize the dream and desire of the Ukrainian people for the soonest possible membership in the European Union.”