Reuters: Ukraine has fulfilled two of the seven conditions for starting EU membership negotiations

The European Union will report that Ukraine has fulfilled two of the seven conditions for starting EU membership negotiations.

This was reported to Reuters by two sources in the EU.

According to their data, the blocʼs executive body intends to emphasize the progress achieved despite Russiaʼs war in Ukraine.

Two European officials who have read the report told reporters that Ukraine currently meets two criteria. One of them noted that they relate to judicial reform and media law, and added that the focus of the report will be on positive points.

"There is progress. The report will be moderately positive. Itʼs not about embellishing reality but recognising progress, there have been prominent anti-corruption cases to name, for example," the interlocutor told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

In addition to the fight against corruption, the EU also requires Ukraine to reform the Constitutional Court and law enforcement agencies, strengthen measures to combat money laundering, and pass laws to curb oligarchs and protect the rights of national minorities.

A third Reuters source, also an EU official familiar with the EUʼs rule of law recommendations for Ukraine, added: “On reforms, it would be glass half full, we would never adopt a negative tone towards Ukraine at the moment. Judiciary reforms have seen some progress, though there are still key ones to be carried out. Not all is satisfactory."

Accession of Ukraine to the EU and NATO

On September 16, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada and the European Parliament simultaneously approved the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. It entered into full force on September 1, 2017. The strategic course for Ukraineʼs membership in the European Union and NATO has been enshrined in the Constitution since February 2019.

Four days after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, on February 28, 2022, Ukraine applied to join the European Union under a special procedure. Soon, Georgia and Moldova submitted such applications.

On June 17, the European Commission recommended granting the status of a candidate for EU accession to Ukraine and Moldova and also put forward a number of conditions that Ukraine must fulfill before the start of negotiations on accession to the European Union.

On June 23, EU leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit where Ukraine and Moldova were granted candidate status.

On April 27, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine has fulfilled all seven recommendations of the European Commission, which were given to it during the acquisition of candidate status and will be ready to start the procedure of negotiations on joining the EU already at the end of 2023.