Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that his country, invaded by Russia at the end of February 2022, deserved to start talks to enter the European Union "this year". "I think Ukraine deserves to start negotiations this year on its EU membership," said Volodymir Zelensky, speaking on the eve of a summit in Kyiv between the European Union and Ukraine.
Ukraine, an official candidate for EU membership since June 2022, is hosting a summit on Friday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel. Ursula von der Leyen assured Ukraine of the full support of the European Union, arriving in kyiv on Thursday accompanied by her commissioners. "Good to be back in Kyiv, my fourth time since the Russian invasion and this time with my team of stewards," she tweeted. "We are here together to show that the EU stands firmly with Ukraine."
Mrs von der Leyen is accompanied by the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell and about fifteen European commissioners who are to meet their colleagues from the Ukrainian government. The Commission called the visit a "strong symbol" of European support for Ukraine "in the face of unjustified aggression" by Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron warned in May that the process of integrating the European Union could take "decades".
