Ukraine ready for talks on EU membership - Zelensky

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - Kiev is fully prepared for negotiations on membership in the European Union, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said.

"I held several political meetings, in particular on the European Union and on our integration. We ought to start membership talks. Ukraine is fully prepared for that - we are doing what is necessary on our part. And we are doing everything possible to ensure that the EU is also fully prepared," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying in a video address on Monday.

Zelensky also spoke against extending the restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to Europe beyond September 15.

"There is a very important agreement with the European Commission regarding September 15. It is the last day of the restrictions on our exports. And we believe that the European side will honor its obligations regarding this date, when the temporary restrictions will cease to be in effect," he said.

"Any extension of the restrictions is an absolutely unacceptable and outright non-European move. Europe has the institutional capacity to act more rationally than to close this or that border to this or that product," he said.

"Our position is clear: blocking exports by land after September 15, when the relevant restrictions expire, is unacceptable in any form. We are in touch with all stakeholders to find a solution that suits everyone," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Zelensky as saying in a social media post.

The Ukrainian authorities "believe in the agreement with the European Commission, but we are preparing for any scenario," he said.

As reported, Poland was the first EU country to impose a unilateral ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products in April in violation of the EU's association agreement and internal regulations. Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia followed suit. On May 2, the EU imposed a ban on imports of wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower from Ukraine to these countries and Romania, replacing the unilateral decisions. On June 5, it extended the ban until September 15.

Since then, the five nations have repeatedly called for extending the ban beyond September 15 and potentially expanding the list of restricted goods. Their representatives met in Warsaw on July 19 to prepare a statement for the European Commission on prolonging the ban and adding more goods to it.

Ukraine, for its part, insists the ban should not be extended beyond September 15. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said that in the event the extension does materialize, Kiev would consider reciprocal measures.