‘Ukraine is the EU’, says Brussels

THE European Union chief yesterday declared ‘Ukraine is the EU, the EU is Ukraine’ after a summit in Kyiv focused on the country’s desire to join the bloc.

Charles Michel doubled down on his backing for Kyiv’s integration with Brussels as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky presses for fast-track accession.

After the summit with EU chiefs, Mr Zelensky said: ‘Our goal is absolutely clear: to start negotiations on Ukraine’s membership. We will not lose a single day in our work to bring Ukraine and the EU closer together.’

The last summit was held in Kyiv in October 2021 – months before the Russian invasion started. The symbolic visit is the first EU political mission of its kind to a country at war.

In June last year the EU extended candidate status to Kyiv but the path to full membership could take years. The EU acknowledged that Ukraine had made ‘considerable efforts’ towards membership but urged for further reforms.

Corruption is a European concern and Ukraine has widened efforts to tackle it through highly-publicised raids this week targeting an oligarch with political connections and a former interior minister.

‘You are at war, and while being at war, and defending your country against the aggressor, you’re able to deliver one deliverable after the next that is necessary to move forward,’ European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

But she cautioned that there could be ‘no rigid timelines’ put in place for Ukrainian membership or talks. Mr Zelensky has said he wants the discussions to start this year.

He also used the summit to urge the West to supply Kyiv with sophisticated weapons to help forces retain control of Bakhmut, the city at the epicentre of the war.

Yesterday, Germany gave the green light for older Leopard 1 tanks to be sent to Ukraine, on top of the Leopard 2s promised last week.