By Agnes Szucs
BRUSSELS (AA) – Ukraine’s parliament speaker on Wednesday pressed European Union lawmakers to “do everything possible” to support his country’s bid to acquire EU candidate status.
Speaking at the European Parliament’s plenary session in the northeastern French city of Strasbourg, Ruslan Stefanchuk said he is traveling across Europe to “convince Europeans that Ukraine is worthy to receive EU candidate status.”
He promised his country will “work quickly and qualitatively” if it receives the confirmation.
“It is very important for the Ukrainian people to hear this powerful message from Europe that what you are doing is not in vain,” Stefanchuk emphasized.
He underlined that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be the one to benefit if EU leaders put Ukraine’s membership application on hold after deliberations at their next summit later this month.
He called on EU lawmakers to “do everything possible to make June 24 a watershed day.”
Stefanchuk also pushed the bloc to impose new sanctions on Russia despite the risk of negative impacts for the European economy.
“The price of defeat will be way bigger,” Stefanchuk warned, stressing that Russia’s war is “not only against Ukraine, (but) a war against the values, the principles and the foundations of world order.”
Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, reiterated her support for Ukraine’s EU membership.
“We know how important it is to send a clear signal that Ukraine’s place is within our European family and to tell everyone that Ukraine is Europe,” she said.
Just four days after Russia launched the war on Feb. 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed his country’s request to join the EU.
The European Commission is currently assessing an application that Ukraine submitted in April.
It is expected to announce next week whether Kyiv can receive candidate status and start membership negotiations, while EU leaders will discuss the issue at their next summit on June 23-24.