Zelensky: Ukraine is de facto part of the EU

President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for Luxemburg's support for granting Ukraine the candidate status for EU membership

Rubryka reports, citing the President's speech before the Luxembourg parliament.

"Ukraine has de facto become part of the European Union. We are already cooperating both at the bilateral and EU levels on a scale corresponding to full membership.

What can prove this better than the fact that we protect each other?" Zelensky said.

The President believes that Luxembourg will support granting Ukraine the official candidate status for EU membership in June and later Ukraine's membership in the European Union.

Zelensky invited the Prime Minister of Luxembourg to come to Ukraine to discuss further cooperation.

During his speech, the President also stressed that the pressure on russia should be significantly increased. The head of state emphasized that no one would be able to stay away and not suffer when the world is experiencing a catastrophe of such magnitude as now, through the fault of the russian state.

"It is reminiscent of World War II when Nazi aggression threatened the lives of entire nations.

Therefore, we must significantly increase the pressure on russia to stop this catastrophe and prevent such aggressions," Zelensky stressed.

As Rubryka reported, EU leaders agreed to consider Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova's applications for membership in the bloc at a June European Council meeting. However, there is no consensus among EU countries on granting Ukraine candidate status.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an alternative to European integration, as it could take "decades" for candidate countries to join the EU. After that, Poland supported Slovakia's proposal to lobby the leaders of Western Europe, who "take a more restrained position" on granting Ukraine the candidate status for EU membership.

On the other hand, the poll conducted by the Rating Group on February 17 shows that 68% of Ukrainians support joining the EU and 62% support NATO membership, the highest figure in the history of such observations since 2014.