As European leaders weighed the continent’s next move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a blunt message to an EU summit: Europe’s future is being forged on Ukraine’s battlefield, and the clearest long-term answer is to put Kyiv on a fast track into the bloc.
In remarks posted in a video on X, Mr Zelensky told the summit that every democratic nation in Europe should have a place in the EU and said “Ukraine merits this because it has paid more than any other country for its right to be free, independent and…European”.
His appeal came after European Union ambassadors agreed last week to move forward with membership talks for both Ukraine and ex-Soviet Moldova, opening discussions on the first of six “clusters” designed to align legislation and standards with those of the bloc.
“The future of Europe – free, united and of course in peace – is being decided in our defence. That shows how unique our situation is,” Mr Zelensky said.
He argued that the next move should be bolder still. “The most important such step – I know that not everyone loves this – could be a fast-track path for Ukraine to join the EU.”
Mr Zelensky also said Europe’s own security hinged on steady financing for Ukraine’s military, and said the EU and the “coalition of willing” countries backing Kyiv could build the financial tools needed to guarantee that support.
In a statement issued after the summit, the European Council welcomed the launch of accession talks for Ukraine and said it “looks forward to the opening of the other clusters, in line with the merit-based approach”.
In an audio message released after both the summit and an earlier meeting of the “Ramstein” group on military assistance for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky repeated that Ukraine was prepared for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war, now more than four years old.
Even so, he warned Europe against easing its guard and pressed leaders to keep up the pressure on Moscow.
“Europe has to be engaged for us to have a strong position, to commit fully on sanctions without loopholes, on confiscation without exceptions and on funding Ukraine,” he said.
