Zelensky Seeks OECD Candidate Status as Early as This Fall

Ukraine has submitted a revised application to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as Kyiv pursues closer integration with Western institutions during its war with Russia.

The OECD is a club of mostly advanced economies. Ukraine has worked with the organization on reforms and governance standards for several years and is now seeking candidate-country status as a step toward full membership.

Zelensky said after meeting OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann in Kyiv that Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko had submitted the updated bid.

“We hope to obtain candidate country status as early as this autumn. The next stage will be a roadmap toward OECD membership. We discussed this during our meeting”, Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine is also pushing to accelerate its accession to the European Union, which Kyiv has described as the best security guarantee both for itself and for Europe.

Zelensky last week reiterated Ukraine’s desire for fast-track EU membership. The country hopes to open the remaining negotiating clusters with the EU by 15 July, when Ukraine marks its Statehood Day, according to a separate statement published by his office on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he saw no grounds for direct talks with Zelensky, citing what he described as Kyiv’s strikes on civilian targets.

(Reuters, mja)