A literally historic event took place on 23 June 2022, when Ukraine received a candidate status for the EU membership. It was an important act of European community’s consolidated support and strategic solidarity with Ukraine, recognition of the Ukrainian nation’s commitment to the European choice, and a tribute to courage and determination shown by Ukrainians in their heroic struggle for the European future.

The current pace of Ukraine’s European integration — from the application submission to the candidate’s status — is unprecedented for the EU’s history. However, while celebrating the current successful stage of integration, it is worth mentioning Ukraine’s almost 30-year path towards the European Union, during which the country passed some difficult dramatic tests and achieved a high level of integration with the EU in various spheres — from energy to foreign policy.

The European Council’s decision is an important impulse for internal socio-economic transformations, a cornerstone of the country’s post-war revival, a positive signal for European and global investors. At the same time, Ukraine’s candidate status is a powerful moral and psychological stimulus for the citizens of the country fighting for their European choice.

We welcome the political will of EU leaders to stand with Ukraine in countering Russian expansion that threatens the entire Europe. For a long time, our country has been defending the EU’s eastern flank, taking on the blow of all the military might of the aggressor. Without exaggeration, the future of Europe now depends on the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Acquiring the candidate status is a key but not the final stage of European integration. Therefore, even in war, we cannot afford slowing down on our way to the EU, while deepening the partnership in the new status and ensuring the implementation of reforms essential for Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union in the post-war process.