President of the Council of Europe: We want the quick start of Ukraine’s membership negotiations – Mehr news agency RCO News Agency

According to the Mehr news agency, citing Anatolia, Turkey, European Council President Antonio Costa told reporters on Thursday during his trip to Oslo and after meeting Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gare Store: We want to officially start negotiations as soon as possible and advance the process of expanding the Union.

He added: “I cannot confirm that this will happen in 2026 and 2027 or later, but it is very important to maintain the momentum of this process.”

Referring to the continuation of the war with Russia, Costa emphasized that despite the war conditions, Ukraine is still implementing the necessary reforms to join the European Union, and described this as admirable.

He also mentioned the discussion of Ukraine’s “gradual membership” in the European Union; The plan was proposed with the aim of bypassing Hungary’s veto and facilitating Ukraine’s accession process.

Earlier, the European Union had decided to start Ukraine’s membership negotiations in December 2023, but its implementation has been delayed due to Hungary’s opposition.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly expressed his opposition to Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.

Ukraine submitted its official application for membership on February 28, 2022, and was recognized as a candidate country by the Council of Europe in June of the same year.

The war between Russia and Ukraine started on February 24, 2022, and Moscow considers its end dependent on Kiev’s withdrawal from joining Western military institutions. A condition that Ukraine calls interference in its internal affairs.