Volodymyr Zelensky hails ‘unique and historic moment’ after country’s EU candidate status validated

“This is a unique and historic moment in Ukraine-European Union relations”, welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky on Twitter, saying that, in his view, “the future of Ukraine lies within the EU” . Granting Ukraine the status of candidate for membership of the European Union, “this is the starting point of a new story for Europe”, added the Ukrainian President to the Twenty-Seven gathered during a European summit in Brussels. “Today you have taken one of the most important decisions for Ukraine since its independence thirty years ago,” he said in a videoconference speech. “This is the biggest step towards the (political) strengthening of Europe. »

Many other Ukrainian leaders reacted quickly to the announcement made in the evening by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.

For Dmytro Kouleba, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, “today marks the beginning of a long journey that we will travel together”, he said in a short video shot in pairs with Josep Borrell, his European counterpart . “Ukraine will win. Europe will triumph,” he said on Twitter. Before adding: “The Ukrainian people belong to the European family. Ukraine’s future is with the EU. »

“We want to become a member of the EU”

Same story with Denys Chmygal, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, for whom “this historic day” marks “a new stage in the construction of Europe”. “Official EU candidate status is about further reforms, wide-ranging rapprochement across all sectors of the economy and a process of full entry into the EU internal market,” he said. precise.

The head of the presidential administration Andriï Yermak also spoke of “the necessary reforms” for Ukraine to officially integrate the European Union in the future. “We want to become a member of the EU,” he insisted. Ukraine is therefore officially a candidate for EU membership, a scenario still unimaginable at the start of the year, but which imposed itself on the Twenty-Seven with the Russian invasion. However, the process could take years to complete.