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Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy addresses Spanish Parliament via video link, in Madrid
April 18 (Archyde.com) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky handed over a form on joining the European Union on Monday, saying he believed this step would lead his country to candidate status within weeks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen handed the questionnaire to Zelensky during a visit to kyiv on April 8, promising a faster start to Ukraine’s EU bid following Russia’s invasion of the country.
Zelensky presented the full document to the EU envoy to Ukraine, footage of the meeting released by his government showed.
“We firmly believe that this procedure (the granting of candidate status) will take place in the coming weeks and that it will be positive for the history of our people, given the price it paid on the road to independence and democracy,” said the leader. Ukrainian during the meeting.
Zelensky’s deputy bureau chief said earlier on Monday that he expects Ukraine to gain candidate status in June during a scheduled meeting of the European Council, which comprises leaders of EU member states.
The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, will have to issue a recommendation on Ukraine’s fulfillment of the necessary accession criteria, he added.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly and Conor Humphries; edited in Spanish by Carlos Serrano)