Ukrainian PM expresses hope for EU accession negotiations to start in first half of 2024

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is convinced that Ukraine’s accession to the EU can be completed at a net profit, with the country contributing enough revenue to the bloc to outweigh the costs of integration.

"We are waiting and wishing to obtain the approval of the European Council at their next meeting [this week], and believe we can begin accession negotiations in the first half of this year," Shmyhal said in an interview with Euractiv.

Last week, the European Commission sent a draft framework for the accession negotiations of Ukraine and Moldova to EU member states.

"We hope that our European partners will approve it without any additional amendments, as the European Commission proposes," Ukraine’s prime minister said.

"[European Council] President Charles Michel named 2030 a possible target year for further EU enlargement, but we will do our best for Ukraine that it could happen earlier, immediately after our victory," Shmyhal said.

He also added that Ukraine is capable of "doing its homework" to align itself with EU requirements very quickly. "We will get up to speed double-time – I believe that it will not take us more than two years," said Shmyhal.

The leaders of the EU states will discuss the next steps in Ukraine’s journey to EU accession at the summit this week on 21-22 March.

Earlier reports indicated that both the Ukrainian side and Brussels are working to ensure that the official commencement of negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU takes place no later than the end of June, when Belgium's presidency of the EU Council concludes and Hungary's six-month presidency begins.