Ukraine’s future is in the European Union 

© European Union | The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola

Speaker Stefanchuk, 
Dear Ruslan,
Dear Members of the Rada, 

It is a pleasure to join you today at this very special session of your Parliament where you will be adopting three crucial laws within the framework of your EU candidacy status.

Let me start by saying how impressed the European Parliament is with the ardent progress Ukraine is making in implementing the European Commission’s seven recommendations for your country’s application for European Union membership.

In this respect, the commitment of the President of Ukraine, of the Verkhovna Rada and of the Government of Ukraine is clear to us all - working tirelessly in the most difficult of conditions with the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine.

I am convinced that these efforts will bear fruit. 

I applaud all the work done, especially on the formation and maintenance of registers of oligarchs, in completing the creation of the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, in reforming the law enforcement agencies, in appointing the Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, and in adopting the Anti-corruption Strategy for 2021-2025.

Today, you will - again - take further steps to protect your democracy.

By bringing your media law in line with European Union legislation;

By further securing the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities of Ukraine; and

By improving the procedure in selecting candidates for the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on a competitive basis.

I am aware that this was all very difficult work. But consultations and dialogue continue to remain vital. Today’s vote will prove once again that by working together we can bring positive results to the benefit of Ukrainian citizens. It also brings you another step closer to becoming full members of the European Union.

Dear colleagues,

Let me also underline the crucial role that the Verkhovna Rada plays on Ukraine’s path towards European integration in terms of legislative approximation. I commend your efforts in bringing Ukrainian laws in line with the European acquis.

I know you are working day and night and I want to thank you for that.

The European Parliament will continue to do its utmost to assist you in the process of Ukrainian integration into the European Union. 

Because Ukraine’s future is in the European Union.

Slava Ukraini.


You can read the President's speech in Ukrainian here.