Zelensky: Ukraine prepares for upcoming EU-Ukraine summit

In an address on Jan. 31, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing “new reforms in Ukraine” amid the upcoming EU-Ukraine summit set for Feb. 3.

“We await (good) news for Ukraine. We await the decisions of our partners in the European Union, which will correspond to the achieved level of interaction between our institutions and the EU and our progress,” Zelensky said. “Progress, which is obviously there, even despite the full-scale war.”

Zelensky noted that the reforms to be undertaken will change Ukraine’s social, legal, and political realities, making them “more humane, more transparent, and more effective.”

On Jan. 28, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reassured Ukraine that it has unconditional support from the European Union.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Jan. 30 that he expects Ukraine to achieve the “pre-entry stage of negotiations” to join the European Union this year. He said he hopes Ukraine can make a “significant leap forward” at the upcoming summit.

On Jan. 31, Euractive reported, citing a draft summit communique, that the European Union’s top officials won’t commit to Ukraine’s quick entry into the union.

The European Union granted Ukraine candidate status on June 23, in a historic step on the long and difficult path to EU membership.

The EU-Ukraine summit is an annual event as part of Article 5 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. The Feb. 3 summit’s theme is expected to be the EU’s further support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression.