Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Must Keep Momentum After EU Accession Negotiations’ First Cluster

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after the opening of the first cluster of negotiations on accession to the European Union, it was important to keep advancing the process and he discussed the schedule for opening the next five clusters.

Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that he was "Grateful to the EU for opening the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine and Moldova" and said the parties discussed "the schedule for opening the next five clusters".

DIE WELT

He also said special attention was paid to implementing the financial support package and preparing the first tranche, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and diplomatic efforts to achieve peace.

Zelenskyy added that "As long as Russia intends to continue the war, it is necessary to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense" and to work on aligning security guarantees for Ukraine.

Interfax-Ukraine reported that Zelenskyy said he met with President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that not only the government but Ukrainian society as a whole must unite to seize the momentum Ukraine is building on its path toward membership in the European Union.

Kos stressed that Ukraine’s membership is "a central issue for Europe’s future because building a Europe that is truly responsible for its own security can only succeed with a strong, prosperous, and stable Ukraine."

El Mundo

Euronews reported that Zelensky insisted on Thursday that Ukraine needed full membership and not any partial participation, rejecting the idea of symbolic EU membership.

Zelensky told reporters, "Ukraine does not need symbolic EU membership," and said Ukraine defends Europe "in real life" as people are dying.

Euronews also said Ukraine’s EU accession had been at a standstill since July 2024 when Hungary took the rotating presidency of the EU Council and indicated it would not open a single negotiating group during the rotation.

Euronews said attention at the informal Cyprus summit shifted to Hungary's long-standing veto of Kyiv's accession to the EU, even as a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine and a new round of sanctions against Russia were unlocked and approved.

“As a 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine and a new round of sanctions against Russia have been unlocked and finally approved, attention at the informal Cyprus summit is quickly shifting to Hungary's long-standing veto of Kyiv's accession to the EU, in the hope of leveraging the political dynamic in Budapest as a new government is about to take office”

Euronews

In the same report, European Council President António Costa said that by unlocking the 90-billion-euro loan and the new series of sanctions, the EU had taken "two very important steps toward achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."

El Mundo quoted Ursula von der Leyen saying "I have the impression that the tide is turning" and described a "special momentum" linked to the largest drone attack ever recorded.

El Mundo also said the EU had opened the first cluster or negotiating bloc for both Ukraine led by Volodímir Zelenski and for Moldavia, and that Viktor Orban was no longer there after blocking decisions.

El Mundo added that Friedrich Merz said, "We all know that this will take a long time, but we must take the first steps," while the report described EU contacts with Moscow for possible peace negotiations as holding "a 'brief' conversation with the Kremlin".