EU to en two negotiation clusters with Ukraine in first half of 2025 – EU Council President

This was stated by Eurean Council President Antonio Costa, who spoke at a joint press conference with President Vodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Costa, the EU is impressed that Ukraine was able to carry out most of the most important reforms necessary for joining the Eurean Union amid the war, noting that this is the first time in history an applicant country is doing so.

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Admitting that the ongoing work is a joint effort, Costa said the officials in the EU, including the newly appointed Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, are working hard alongside the Ukrainian team to help Ukraine prepare and achieve the EU decision on accession. In the next six months, two new negotiation clusters will be ened, Costa assured.

He added that at the same time, during the negotiation process, steps could be taken towards Ukraine’s gradual accession to the EU. Then, certain categories of goods could enter the EU single market, as if Ukraine were already a member of the Eurean Community, Costa noted.

According to the EU Council president, the EU cannot manage the process, because this is about business, and this is a geitical decision, but the issue’s urgency is reportedly obvious to parties.

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There is pitical will in place, Costa went on to say, to help Ukraine meet all the necessary criteria, and officials in Brussels are absutely certain that Ukraine is capable of achieving results quickly.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on Sunday, December 1, Eurean Council President António Costa, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Picy Kaja Kallas, and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit.

As reported, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in mid-November Ukraine seeks to en two clusters in EU accession talks during the Pish presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025.