Ukraine can complete EU accession negotiations within two years, but it is important to understand that this two-year period has not yet begun, said Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed at a press conference in Kyiv that this assessment is based on the speed of implementation of EU law demonstrated by Ukraine and the political will of the European Union.

"Ukraine can do its job in two years, based on the way we are moving," she said.

Statements about the government's ability to join the EU within two years have been made since last year. However, Olha Stefanishyna stressed that the negotiations have not yet started, so it is incorrect to count from the time of the government's political statements about its intentions.

"I count from the beginning of the negotiations. That is, when we say that more than a year has passed (from obtaining candidate status and making the first statements – ed.), then in my understanding this year never counted in the two-year period," she explained.

To start formal negotiations, Ukraine must receive a green light from the EU on its fulfilment of the four criteria set by the European Commission (the assessment is expected in March), and also hold an intergovernmental conference to approve the negotiation framework, conduct a screening of Ukrainian legislation, and then open the negotiating chapters. Read more about these stages and the EU's decisions on them in the article Yellow Light for Ukraine. 

Meanwhile, the EU is ready to speed up the procedure. EU Ambassador Katarína Mathernová said on Thursday that there is no clear scenario for Ukraine's accession to the EU, and only two elements are needed.

Olha Stefanisyna also answered a question about whether Ukraine would fulfil the requirements for Russian minority rights on its way to the EU.