Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Eurointegration describes future Ukraine's EU accession talks next year

The EU plans to hold talks concerning "fundamental rules" of Ukraine’s EU accession in 2025. This year Ukraine is expected to proceed to the stage of finalising the negotiating positions in all sections.

Source: Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euroatlantic Integration of Ukraine, in an interview for RBK-Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Stefanishyna noted that the negotiating process had been initiated on 25 June 2024, which means that Ukraine can negotiate in any number of directions of the future agreement on its EU accession. The official states that it will depend on how capable both Ukraine and the European Commission are of doing it.

Stefanishyna reveals that there had not been any delays, and as early as on 8 July, after the negotiations had been opened, bilateral meetings concerning the legislative screening started.

"And all bilateral negotiations in all directions are on the agenda for 2024-25," she explained.

She added that the negotiations were opened in clusters, consisting of 6-7 sections, in accordance with the direction. She noted that the negotiations regarding the fundamental rules cluster were guaranteed to start in 2025.

"This is the bloc without which it is impossible to discuss any political decisions. We need to be legally ready to become a part of the common market and correspond to political criteria of the rule of law. This is the work which is ongoing now, and 2025 can be marked with proceeding to the stage of finalisation of all negotiating positions regarding all sections," Stefanishyna explained.

Background: 

• The EU Council adopted the EU accession negotiating framework for Ukraine and Moldova on 21 June, and intergovernmental conferences, which marked the start of negotiations with both countries, were held one after another on 25 June.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, also approved the composition of the delegation for the participation in Ukraine’s EU accession talks. It is led by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister of European and Euroatlantic Integration of Ukraine.
• The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the decision to create a workgroup, which would facilitate the negotiating process regarding Ukraine’s EU accession, at the session on 27 August.

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