President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Ukraine’s application for membership of the European Union on February 28, 2022, the fifth day of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Forbes Ukraine reported.
“On the way to Brussels”
The signing was announced on Facebook by Andriy Sybiha, deputy head of the Office of the President. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal signed a joint statement to accompany the application. “The documents are already on their way to Brussels,” Sybiha wrote.
Fast track
Zelenskyy had called on the EU a day earlier to admit Ukraine immediately under a special procedure. Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger also called for a special, accelerated approach for a country going through war that wants to become part of Europe.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine “is one of us and we want them in” the European Union, although EU officials noted that accession is a lengthy process requiring the agreement of all member states.
Under attack
The application came as Russian forces advanced on Kyiv and Kharkiv and pressed offensives in the south and east. On the same day, Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their first talks on the Belarusian border, which ended without a breakthrough.
Sources
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