Ukraine has met all the reform requirements to begin negotiations for accession to the European Union. Consequently, EU countries must swiftly agree on the negotiation framework, according to the German State Minister for European Affairs, Anna Lührmann.
"According to the German government, Ukraine meets all the requirements for opening accession negotiations with the EU in June. Therefore, we urge all EU member states to quickly agree on the negotiation framework," she said.
Negotiation frameworks establish guiding principles for accession negotiations. It is a necessary condition for starting negotiations and must be unanimously agreed upon by the 27 EU member states.
Ukraine's EU accession
On February 28, 2022, Ukraine applied for EU membership, and on June 23, Ukraine was granted candidate status for accession to the European Union.
On November 8, 2023, the European Commission recommended starting official accession negotiations with Ukraine.
For accession to the EU, Ukraine needs to meet a number of conditions, including improving the rule of law and combating corruption, implementing economic reforms, and adhering to EU standards in the fields of environment and consumer rights protection.
According to Politico, the EU aims to start negotiations with Ukraine by July 1.
