Irish PM hopes next EU summit will send ‘positive message’ on Ukraine’s membership

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin expressed hope on Wednesday that EU leaders will send a “positive message” on Ukraine’s EU membership at their upcoming summit.

“I strongly support Ukraine’s application for membership,” Martin told EU lawmakers at the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

He added he looks forward to the European Commission’s opinion that will evaluate what criteria Ukraine has to meet to join the bloc.

“I hope that when the European Council meets in June, it will be possible to send the people of Ukraine a clear and positive message,” Martin asserted, referring to the EU leaders’ summit to be held on June 23-24.

Only four days after Russia’s war started on Feb. 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially signed his country's request to join the EU.

The European Commission is currently assessing the questionnaire that Ukraine completed and returned in April.

The EU executive body is expected to deliver its opinion next week if the country can receive candidate status and start membership negotiations in the first phase of the process.

EU leaders will assess the report and decide on the next step a week later.