Ukraine is counting on tangible practical results of the Ukraine-EU summit, as well as a positive assessment of the implementation of the European Commission's recommendations, which will enable the start of pre-accession negotiations as early as 2023. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, during an online speech at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, January 23.
"We have high expectations for the Ukraine-EU summit on February 3 and the joint meeting of the Government of Ukraine and the College of the EU on the eve of the summit. We count on tangible practical results of both events," said the minister, quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kuleba reminded that Ukraine is completing the implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission and expects a positive report from the European Commission this spring. He emphasized that Ukraine also expects a positive assessment of its efforts to implement the recommendations to be included in the final declaration of the Ukraine-EU summit on February 3.
"We are convinced that pre-accession negotiations should begin as soon as possible after Ukraine has implemented the recommendations and the positive assessment of the European Commission. Ukraine is making maximum efforts and I am convinced that we should start pre-accession negotiations by the end of 2023. No games or narrow political interests should get in the way," the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized.
The European Union will continue to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression. This was stated by the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, at the opening of the first meeting of the heads of foreign affairs of EU countries this year, which was joined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, via video link.