Ukraine Pushes for New EU Accession Talks

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had discussed Ukraine’s progress toward European Union membership with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The coming weeks will be important to take decisive steps forward in the accession process", she said in a post on social media platform X

Ukraine is seeking to open additional negotiating chapters and says it is making progress on the reforms required for EU membership. Zelensky recently said prospects for progress had improved following the electoral defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has long been among Ukraine’s strongest opponents within the bloc.

This month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed granting Ukraine a temporary “associate" membership in the EU. The arrangement would allow Kyiv to participate in negotiations and the work of European institutions without voting rights. Zelensky rejected the proposal as unfair.

Von der Leyen also stressed Europe’s continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. She said air defense systems, drones, and anti-drone technologies were among Europe’s top defense priorities and that Ukraine would be fully involved in these efforts.

(reuters, lud)