New EU Ambassador in Kiev Mathernova: Prospects of starting talks on Ukraine's joining EU in winter real, but it's 'not done deal"

MOSCOW. Aug 18 (Interfax) - The incumbent Deputy Director-General for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Katarina Mathernova, will arrive in Kiev mid-September to take over the duties of the new ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine.

She announced it at the forum headlined What Ukraine's Path to the EU Looks Like, Ukrainian media outlets said. "I will move to Kiev mid-September and proceed to my duties," she said.

The current EU ambassador to Ukraine is Matti Maasikas, who was appointed the head of the EU mission in September 2019.

Speaking about the prospects of the opening of the negotiations on Ukraine's joining the EU, Maternova said that this winter is a real deadline. "Some issues which need to be resolved by the Ukrainian side are still pending. [Starting the talks this winter] is not done deal yet, but I believe the prospects are real. But many things still need to happen for it both on Ukraine's and EU's ends," she said.

A lot in this matter will depend on Ukraine and the reforms conducted by the country, she said, adding that Ukraine "truly showed great determination and readiness for changes."

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said earlier that Ukraine must open the dialogue on the full-scale membership in the EU in 2023, emphasizing that the country is ready for it.

In July, Zelensky demanded that Verkhovna Rada members pass all bills needed to start membership negotiations with the EU.