Costa Calls Ukrainians Future Members of the European Family

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that Russia will not succeed in dividing or weakening Europe. Speaking with European Council President Antonio Costa on Europe Day, he stressed that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own independence but also for the right of European nations to freely determine their future, according to the Unian news agency.

Zelensky also thanked the European Union for its support during the war and said that Kyiv continues to prepare for the next steps in the EU accession process, including the opening of negotiating chapters.

Costa described Ukrainians as future members of the European family and praised their defense of European values. The two leaders also discussed diplomatic developments, including a US-brokered agreement on a thousand-for-thousand prisoner exchange with Russia.

Ukraine expects to open all accession chapters this year and sign an accession agreement by 2027, according to Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka.

(mja)