During a visit to Kiev, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Ukraine’s efforts to achieve EU membership. “I must say that the accession process is on the right track,” she said at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “It’s impressive to see the speed, determination and precision with which you move forward.”
According to the president of the European Commission, Ukraine can count on its European friends by his side. In June, the EU officially admitted Ukraine to the list of candidate countries. However, further negotiations cannot begin until the country has implemented major reforms, for example in the judiciary and in the fight against corruption. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal said in Brussels last week that his country wants to meet EU requirements for the start of accession negotiations by the end of the year.
“I also want to congratulate you on your military success”
Von der Leyen also paid tribute to Ukraine’s recent successes in the war against Russia. “I also want to congratulate you on your military success,” she said. She knows that progress must first be consolidated, “but it is still impressive to see the courage of the Ukrainian armed forces”. Its success brought a lot of peace of mind – not only among the Ukrainian people, but also among their ‘friends’.
EU arms supplies ‘absolutely important and necessary’
With regard to arms supplies to Ukraine, von der Leyen said all EU countries followed the same approach. It is “absolutely important and necessary” to support the country with the military equipment it needs to defend itself. Ukraine has shown that it can do this if it is properly equipped.
Zelenskyj: Concrete operation, concrete weapons, concrete result
Zelenskyy stressed the importance of Western arms transfers. “Every action on the battlefield is a specific operation that must be supported by specific weapons,” said the head of state. Then there is a “concrete result”. Last week, Ukrainian troops liberated large parts of the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkov.
Return of refugees with intact missile defenses
Western air and missile defense systems are currently particularly important for Ukraine. “We haven’t received any of them yet,” Zelenskyj said. There are discussions on this topic with the US, Germany, France, Italy and Israel. A functioning missile defense system would restore Ukrainians’ confidence in security and allow refugees to return to the country, Zelensky said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
