Ukraine Advances in EU Accession Talks, Speaker Stefanchuk Highlights Legislative Progress

At the “Ukraine. Year 2025” forum, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, outlined Ukraine’s legislative efforts in advancing its European integration.

Speaking at the event, which includes key government officials and will conclude with a press conference by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Stefanchuk emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to the EU accession process.

According to Stefanchuk, Ukraine has made significant legislative progress over the past year, focusing on two key priorities: countering Russian aggression and aligning national legislation with European standards. He noted that all defense-related initiatives receive top priority in parliament, ensuring swift adoption of necessary laws.

Stefanchuk highlighted that for the first time in the history of EU enlargement, the Ukrainian Parliament is directly involved in negotiations, making the legislative process more efficient. He stressed that Ukraine is actively preparing for the next phases of accession, working in close cooperation with the European Parliament.

“Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that the president, parliament, and government work together to make European integration a reality as soon as possible,” Stefanchuk stated.

Additionally, Ukraine is strengthening intergovernmental ties with the EU and the United States. Stefanchuk pointed to last year’s joint appeal by 28 parliamentary speakers from EU and partner countries to the U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, which contributed to securing international assistance for Ukraine.

He also noted Ukraine’s active participation in global parliamentary assemblies, including the G7 Parliamentary Summit.

Summing up, Stefanchuk reaffirmed that the Verkhovna Rada will continue its legislative work in 2025, ensuring further European integration and international support for Ukraine.

Earlier, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová stated that Ukraine could join the European Union by 2030, provided it achieves victory in the war. Speaking at the “Ukraine 2050: Dialogues About the Future” event on November 14, she emphasized that accession depends on securing peace, completing technical negotiations, and obtaining ratification from all EU member states.