The opening of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU may take place next year, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna said in an interview with European Pravda. Answering the question why the EU Ambassador called “the second half of 2023” possible, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that the EU is making forecasts according to a more cautious scenario..

“Absolutely realistic looks 2023. The EU did not start working with us on June 23. We prepared almost 6 thousand answers to the questionnaire and we did it together with the EU. Because all the reforms that we carried out, we carried out jointly to implement the Association Agreement. That is, the understanding of Ukraine is very great. Therefore, certain procedures - such as screening, market assessment, legislation - are not something that will take years, but this is work that needs to be formalized.. Therefore, it is absolutely realistic to move on to negotiations after all assessments already in 2023,” Stefanishina said..

She also added that more clarity regarding the start of negotiations will appear by the end of next year.. At this time, the presidents of the EU and Ukraine should gather for a meeting. Stefanyshina is confident that Ukraine can fulfill the requirements within the framework of the negotiations even within three years. According to her, we are definitely not talking about decades..

“We have a tough position, which consists in the fact that we took the initiative into our own hands. We do not wait and do not sit until the EU tells us how to move forward in the EU. We do not want to follow the last expansion countries, we do not want to be part of the Balkan expansion format - because each expansion wave has its own specific historical aspects.

Ukraine received a formal status only in June, but before that we did a lot - we carried out a lot of reforms, fulfilled a lot of obligations under the Association Agreement, which, in principle, made important decisions possible during the war: visa-free transport, joining the European energy system.

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Earlier Olga Stefanyshina said that Ukraine has fulfilled its obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union by almost 70%.. She added that she wants political clarity from EU leaders on the next steps along the way before the end of the year..