Ukraine-EU summit to take place in Kyiv on Feb. 3.

The Ukrainian President's Office reported on Jan. 2 that the next Ukraine-EU summit would be held on Feb. 3 in Kyiv.

The statement followed President Volodymyr Zelensky's first diplomatic phone call in 2023 with European Commission Head Ursula von der Leyen.

The summit's theme is expected to be the EU's further support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression.

The EU leaders are also expected to assess Ukraine's progress towards membership in the bloc.

European Commission President: Ukraine to start receiving 18 billion euros aid package

The Kyiv Independent

In June 2022, Ukraine was granted the status of a European Union candidate.

In September, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had the ambition to become a full-fledged part of the EU in two years.

To achieve that goal, the country needs to fulfill the European Commission's conditions on issues related to justice, the rule of law, and anti-corruption efforts, and then proceed with the negotiation process regarding EU membership.

On Dec. 27, Olha Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, reported that Ukraine has done "everything possible" to implement the recommendations provided by the EU.

However, Ukraine's controversial laws on the Constitutional Court and the media have been criticized by European organizations as not meeting EU standards.