EU pledges full support for Ukraine’s financial needs and membership bid

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Tuesday that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s full support for Ukraine’s financial stability and EU membership aspirations during a bilateral meeting in Spain.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Financing for Development, where Shmyhal pressed for reliable funding commitments for 2026 and 2027 to aid Ukraine’s economic recovery amid the ongoing war with Russia.

“I thanked the European Commission and President von der Leyen for their key support, especially in the defense sector,” Shmyhal wrote on Telegram following the meeting.

He also said they discussed Ukraine’s EU accession goals, emphasizing Kyiv’s hope to start formal membership talks later this year. “The EU confirmed its full support for our next steps,” Shmyhal noted.