Shmyhal: Ukraine's membership in EU will strengthen its eastern flank

In an article for Politico, Shmyhal wrote that Ukraine has unparalleled experience in countering Russian aggression, making its membership a strategic necessity for the EU, Ukrinform reports.

"There is a country that's not only faced various manifestations of Russia's aggression and, most importantly, knows how to counter them. This country is Ukraine. That is why Ukraine's accession to the EU isn't only a moral obligation but a strategic step that is, first and foremost, necessary for the bloc itself. A step that would strengthen its eastern flank militarily and increase its geopolitical weight globally. The EU needs Ukraine to protect it," he wrote.

Shmyhal stressed that no other European country has as much experience in modern warfare as Ukraine.

"It is Ukrainians who have done the impossible by building the infrastructure to produce drones — the 'new artillery of the 21st century' — almost from scratch. While no more than 5,000 drones were produced in Ukraine in 2022, the end of 2024 saw more than 1 million FPV drones sent to the front line alone," he said.

Shmyhal also stressed that combining the EU's financial resources with Ukraine's military experience is key to future cooperation.