Ukraine's foreign minister believes EU should be ready to regard Ukraine as member state

The European Union needs to change its vision of Ukraine and prepare to perceive it as a member state.

Source: Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, at the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) meeting, as reported by European Pravda

Quote from Sybiha: "We are a country of the European Union – this is the logic that should be followed [by European institutions – ed.] today."

Details: An example of this logic is the preparation of the EU budget for the next seven-year period, which will take effect from 2027.

Quote: "The next seven-year EU budget must reflect the logic of enlargement and Ukraine's membership."

However, this logic also imposes additional obligations on Ukraine.

Quote: "Ukraine must support all the EU's statements and be 100 percent in line with the EU's position."

Sybiha hopes that Poland's presidency in the first half of next year will help change the EU's vision of Ukraine.

Quote: "We also hope that Poland will support the parallel opening of clusters – not step by step, but parallel – and we need the support of our allies in the EU on this." [Ukraine's EU membership negotiations are being conducted in line with the 33 chapters of the acquis. The chapters are grouped into six clusters. Ukraine is insisting that all these clusters be considered simultaneously rather than consecutively – ed.]

Background: 

• Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has stated that Ukraine’s goal is to be ready for EU accession no later than the end of 2025.
• Shmyhal said in March that Ukraine could join the EU after winning the war and would complete its "homework" in two years. 

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