Zelensky hopes talks on Ukraine's EU membership to start in H1 2024

MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine and the European Union should do all they can to start negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership in the first half of this year, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said.

"I held several meetings on our international work. First, the European Union: next steps towards full-fledged membership. The European Commission finalized the negotiating framework yesterday. Next, we are waiting for the European leaders' decision on its approval. It will be an important and strong signal both for Ukraine and the entire European community to do everything possible to start negotiations as early as the first half of this year," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying in his video address.

"This should be our common pace - the pace of Ukraine and the EU. We have a clear sequence of steps and I am confident that we can achieve the result," he said.