Zelensky: Giving Ukraine EU membership will prove that European values work

He said this in his address to both houses of the Czech Parliament and the people of the Czech Republic, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine must also receive fundamental support of values that will finally deprive Russia of its main ideological weapon, namely the assertion that Europe is incapable of real unification and that it does not need Ukraine. In the near future, we must receive an answer from the European Union - from all member states - to the question of Ukraine's status. Providing Ukraine with the candidacy right now is proving that European unification is real and that European values really work and are not just defined in certain documents as a beautiful formality," Zelensky said.

According to him, the Russian military is well aware that they are fighting against European values, against the fact that any free people of Europe who share common European values can become part of the European Union.

In this regard, he noted that strengthening Europe's union and saying "yes" to Ukraine is also a defense in this war.

"This will be another historical manifestation of the meaning contained in the words: we are with you, be with us. That is why I ask you to be as active as possible these days, these weeks, so that all European leaders agree that defending and strengthening Europe is our common cause, and so that no one can make an exception to this principle," he said.

Representatives of the European Council will hold a discussion on granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for EU membership at a meeting on June 23-24.