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At today’s intergovernmental conference on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, Cluster 6 (external relations) was officially opened in the relevant negotiations, UATV English reports.
“I’m pleased to announce the opening of the sixth cluster,” said Ireland’s Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne, speaking at a joint press conference following the conference alongside Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka and EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
He acknowledged Ukraine’s achievements in implementing reforms during wartime, emphasizing Ukraine’s commitment to the path toward EU accession and to European values.
“Ukraine is an important part of the European family, and we look forward to welcoming it among us,” Byrne stated.
He also called on the EU to give Ukraine not just hope but realistic prospects for EU accession.
“I especially want to express warm words to the Irish and Cypriot presidencies,” Kachka said, also thanking Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos for her work advancing Ukraine’s European integration process.
Kachka stressed that within the EU’s common security and defense policy, unity is especially important, and Ukraine understands this well.
Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said, regarding the implementation of the “Kos-Kachka Plan,” that certain reforms take time, but their implementation is necessary before negotiation clusters can begin to be closed.
As previously reported, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka said that despite somewhat higher expectations for the number of negotiation clusters officially opened to date, overall Ukraine is satisfied with the pace of the EU accession process and is committed to continuing reforms, including after the change of government.
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