Costa: Next step is to open first cluster of negotiations on Ukraine's EU accession

The President of the European Council António Costa stated this after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Cyprus, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Today we have taken two very important steps in order to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. First of all, strengthening Ukrainian forces and their capacity to continue the fight and defend from Russian invasion. The second step is to increase our pressure on Russia to push Russia to seriously accept the peace negotiations," Costa said.

He stressed that it is time to prepare for the next step.

"And the next step is to open the first cluster of negotiations for the Ukrainian accession to the European Union," said the President of the European Council.

Recalling that the EU had fulfilled its promise regarding the first two steps, Costa emphasized: "We will deliver on the next step."

As Ukrinform reported, President Zelensky is personally participating today in the informal meeting of the European Council in Cyprus following the unblocking of a EUR 90 billion loan to support Ukraine and the approval of the 20th sanctions package against Russia.