Ukraine expects to be granted EU candidate country status in June

A Ukrainian government minister said she expects Ukraine to be granted EU candidate country status in June.

Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, said her country was “ready to move fast” with its bid to become a member of the European Union.

🇺🇦🇪🇺Ukraine received the EU membership questionnaire. We have already done much preparatory work, so ready to move fast.

Expect to be granted a candidate status in June.

It is part of our recovery & victory over RU aggressor who wants to reverse Ukraine's democratic course pic.twitter.com/1rSiYC53Qc

— Olga Stefanishyna (@StefanishynaO) April 9, 2022

Her remarks come a day after the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, pledged to offer a speedy response to Ukraine’s bid for bloc membership.

At a joint news conference with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Von der Leyen handed the Ukrainian president a questionnaire which will form a starting point for a decision on membership, saying that it will not as usual be a matter of years to form this opinion but a matter of weeks.

Zelenskiy told the same news conference he would come back with answers in a week.

See also: EU Offers Speedy Start For Ukraine Membership, Resuming Diplomatic Presence In Kyiv

Photo: EC Audiovisual Service