Ukraine is set to begin its first cluster of EU accession talks in early 2025, according to President Zelensky.

Ukraine is preparing to initiate the first cluster of negotiations for EU membership at the beginning of 2025, stated President Volodymyr Zelensky during his address to Ukrainian lawmakers on November 19.

“Ukraine should have the quickest accession process to the EU,” Zelensky remarked while presenting the Internal Resilience Plan of the country.

According to the president, the EU will soon complete the screening of Ukrainian legislation, which is the first step on the integration path.

Ukraine applied for EU membership just a few days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and achieved candidate status in June of that year. In December 2023, EU leaders agreed to start accession negotiations with Ukraine, marking a significant milestone in its integration efforts.

The accession process officially began in June with the commencement of talks in Luxembourg.

As stated by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, Ukraine could join the European Union by 2029 if it completes the necessary reforms.

To achieve this goal, the EU has introduced specific initiatives, such as the “Growth Plan” and the “Plan for Ukraine,” aimed at accelerating reform processes in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.

On March 20, Ukraine submitted its plan detailing its vision for reconstruction, modernization, and the reforms required for its EU accession journey.

The European Commission recently praised Ukraine's progress in crucial reforms, including those related to the rule of law, the judicial system, and anti-corruption measures, although it emphasized that further reforms are still needed.

Background. As reported, Zelensky informed the Verkhovna Rada that energy resilience passports will be developed for each region by the end of the year.