Ukrainian top officials sign joint declaration to support Kyiv’s EU accession

KYIV, Ukraine

Ukrainian top officials on Friday signed a joint declaration to support Kyiv’s EU accession.

“Today, we are signing a joint statement, which is a signal of the unity of all branches of government and evidence of our determination to achieve the strategic goal of Ukraine, namely: full membership in the European Union,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement on Telegram.

“And signing this statement should mean the same as signing the application for entry - on the fifth day of the war,” Zelenskyy added.

Noting that Ukraine has been going towards candidacy for 115 days, he said: “And our path to membership must not take years, decades.”

“We have to cover this path quickly. To what extent it is possible is up to us,” he added. “We have to do our part of the job ideally to enable our friends in the European Union to make another historic decision for us just as quickly, in the same consolidated manner.”

The joint statement was also signed by Ukraine’s parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

An EU flag was displayed in parliament during the signing. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also addressed the session via video link.