The Czech Republic supports Ukraine’s efforts to join the European Union, Prime Minister Petr Fiala was cited as saying by the CTK news agency on Monday.
Fiala said it was necessary to give a clear signal that Ukraine was welcome in Europe’s community of democratic countries, CTK reported.
“Candidate status should be granted right away and membership talks should start immediately after,” Andrzej Duda said on Twitter on Saturday.
He stressed that the country should gain access to EU funds for reconstruction. “This is what Ukraine deserves,” Duda added.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly noted that the European perspective would be a large motivation for Ukrainians to fight for their and their children’s future.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday asked the European Union to allow Ukraine to gain membership under a special procedure immediately as it defends itself from invasion by Russian forces.
“Our goal is to be with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be equal. I’m sure that’s fair. I am sure we deserve it,” he said in a video speech shared on social media.
The European Union’s chief executive on Sunday expressed unequivocal support for Ukraine becoming a member of the bloc, calling the country now under attack from Russia “one of us.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made her comments to Euronews in an interview hours after the 27-nation EU decided for the first time in its history to supply weapons to a country at war. A source told Reuters it would send 450 million euros ($507 million) of weaponry to Ukraine.
“Indeed over time, they belong to us. They are one of us and we want them in,” von der Leyen told Euronews.
See full interview here
Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, won independence from Moscow in 1991 at the fall of the Soviet Union and has pushed to join the NATO Western military alliance and the EU, goals Russia vehemently opposes.
Less than four days after it started, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered a Western political, strategic, economic and corporate response unprecedented in its extent and coordination.
Photo – European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (R) welcomes Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L), at the start of of EU / Eastern partnership summit in Brussels, Belgium, 15 December 2021. EPA-EFE/STEPHANIE LECOCQ / POOL
