Zelensky: Ukraine already started implementing European Commission’s recommendations

Ukraine has already started implementing the recommendations of the European Commission for the start of negotiations on joining the European Union.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated this during a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, Ukrainian President's press service reports.

Thus, the leaders discussed the situation at the front and the efforts made by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to oppose the russian aggressor and liberate Ukrainian territories. The President of the European Council condemned the regular russian missile attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities.

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine needs more modern heavy weapons to win. In this context, he thanked the member states for the approval to allocate the fifth package of financial assistance in the amount of 500 million euros within the framework of the European Peace Fund to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In addition, the parties discussed the introduction of the planned seventh package of the EU's anti-russian sanctions. The head of the Ukrainian state emphasized the need for the further significant strengthening of sanctions pressure on the aggressor country.

Zelensky thanked Michel for his leadership in granting Ukraine the EU candidate status.

"Ukraine will not stand still and has already started to actively implement the recommendations of the European Commission to move to the next stage — the start of accession negotiations," the President of Ukraine assured.

In turn, the head of the European Council positively assessed the approval of the winner by the competition commission for the position of head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the intensification of the selection process for the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. He expressed confidence that other recommendations would be implemented at the same rapid pace.

The President of Ukraine and the head of the European Council also discussed Ukraine's financial needs to maintain macroeconomic stability. Zelensky thanked the European Union for its decision to allocate one billion euros within the framework of the new macro-financial assistance program. At the same time, he expressed expectations for the prompt implementation of this program fully, which, according to the decision of the European Council, amounts to nine billion euros.

The interlocutors agreed on the need to maintain proper political dialogue and discussed the 24th Ukraine-EU Summit this year.

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