Metsola wants Ukraine EU membership talks to start this year
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola made an unannounced trip to Lviv and discussed Ukraine’s bid to join the EU with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, POLITICO reports.
“I am hopeful that accession negotiations can begin already this year,” Metsola said in Lviv on Saturday through a spokesperson who was traveling with her. “Never give up,” Metsola tweeted after meeting with Zelenskyy, who is leading the defense of his country against an invasion by Russia now in its second year. The discussions between Metsola and Zelenskyy focused “very much on the membership application,” said Metsola’s spokesperson, adding that weapons supplies to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia were also discussed.
“The pace with which the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s parliament] and the government is making progress on the EU application impresses me,” Metsola said through the spokesperson.
The 27-country bloc granted so-called candidate status to Ukraine last summer, kicking off an exhaustive legal process that could last many years but which Zelenskyy wants to wrap up as soon as possible. The European Commission and national EU governments are likely to be more cautious than the European Parliament about fast-tracking Ukraine’s entry bid, which is contingent on internal reforms and alignment with 35 chapters of EU rules.
