Today at 01:03
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the opening of the first negotiating cluster in Ukraine’s European Union accession process, saying that while membership will be a lengthy process, the first step has already been taken.
Speaking ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels, Merz praised the decision to launch the first cluster of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, UATV English reports.
“I am very grateful that decisions have already been taken this week and that the European Commission has opened the so-called Cluster 1 for negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. These are clear steps toward the enlargement of the European Union,” Merz said.
According to the German chancellor, Ukraine’s path to EU membership is a long-term endeavor.
“We all know that this will take a long time, but the first steps have to be made,” he said.
Merz added that EU enlargement would be one of the key topics discussed during the summit.
“We will talk about the enlargement of the European Union. You know that Emmanuel Macron and I have launched an initiative on this issue,” the German leader said.
He stressed that the matters on the European Council agenda would be decisive for the future of the European Union.
On June 15, Ukraine officially opened the first accession negotiating cluster, Fundamentals, during a conference in Luxembourg. The cluster covers key reforms related to the rule of law, democratic institutions, public administration, and economic criteria, and will remain open until the completion of the accession process, determining the overall pace of Ukraine’s integration into the bloc.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the remaining five negotiating clusters could be opened in the coming weeks.
