The European Commission has clarified the details of how an important stage before Ukraine's negotiations with the EU will begin. It is the screening process, which involves checking Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU law. EC spokesperson Eric Mamer noted that the start of the screening process does not imply a specific date.

"The President said the screening is now going to start, so it means the screening is now going to start. This is not a formal process where you have to have specific dates, etc. It means that we are now starting the work on the screening process," Mamer said at a briefing.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her speech to the European Parliament on the morning of 17 January that in preparation for accession talks with Ukraine, the EC was launching a screening process and creating a negotiating framework.

European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero clarified that the start of the screening process applies not only to Ukraine but also to Moldova, with which the EU has also decided to start accession talks. Pisonero said that the screening process would start immediately.

"The first step is for multidisciplinary teams to be set up, covering the entire acquis. You know that the screening process means the analytical examination of the EU acquis. You know that the EU acquis, when it comes to pre-accession negotiations, is divided into 33 chapters. So, again, the first step is now for interdisciplinary teams to be created, and the work will start immediately," Pisanero said.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. During the meeting, they agreed to conduct a pre-accession screening of Ukrainian legislation.

Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, said that, according to the agreement, the screening should begin as soon as the Ukrainian delegation arrives in Brussels – no later than in a week.