Ukraine has completed all steps to start EU accession talks – European Commission President

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has confirmed that Ukraine has completed all the necessary steps to start EU accession negotiations by the end of this month. 

 Von der Leyen recalled at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin that Ukraine's recent approval of a reform plan, which is a condition for the allocation of multibillion-dollar EU macro-financial assistance in the coming years.

In this context, she stressed that Ukraine deserves to be considered for accession talks with the EU. 

"Ukraine has fulfilled all the steps we have set out. And that is why we believe that the EU should start accession talks with Ukraine by the end of this month," von der Leyen said. 

On 7 June, The European Commission confirmed that it had given a positive verbal assessment concerning the process of European integration reforms by Ukraine and Moldova, published in the November enlargement report.

At the same time, media reports indicate that Permanent Representatives of the European Union member states have again failed to make a decision on the European Commission's recommendation to start EU accession talks with Ukraine, as Hungary has raised objections.

The German government announced that Ukraine has fulfilled the requirements for reforms necessary to start negotiations on joining the European Union.