Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that Ukraine and the EU are starting a new chapter in their history, after accepting his country’s candidacy.
“Now, we are no longer close. Now we are together,” Zelensky said, addressing the Ukrainian parliament and hailing the start of a new chapter in the history of his country’s relations with the European Union.
It is “a great honor and a great responsibility” to work to “realize the ambitions” of the country, he stressed.
“We covered a path of 115 days to get the candidate status, and our path to membership should not take decades. We must get on the road quickly,” the Ukrainian president added. “Ukraine is fighting to choose its values, to be in the European family”.
An EU flag was placed on the seat of the parliament, next to the flag of Ukraine.
Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Smigal and Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk signed a joint pledge symbolizing the unity of the three branches of power in their efforts to join the EU
Ukraine formally applied to join the EU five days after the Russian invasion began on February 24. The 27 EU members accepted her candidacy on 23 June.
However, the AFP notes that the process can take years, as the examples of Turkey and the Balkan countries show, mainly because of the strict criteria regarding the rule of law and the economy of the candidate countries.
SOURCE: APE-ME
Source: Capital
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