Two years after Ukraine applied to join the EU, membership talks have started between Kiev and Brussels. Find out what significance these talks have and what to expect next

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On Tuesday, 25 June, negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union officially started. They are taking place at the First Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg. Here's what it means for Ukraine and what steps still need to be taken for Kyiv to become a full-fledged EU member.

During the Luxembourg conference, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal recalled that more than two years ago, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Ukraine's application for EU membership. The European Council then confirmed Ukraine's candidate status for accession to the bloc.

"Today we officially start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. This is a historic day, a historic moment for Ukraine and Europe. For our nation," the head of the Ukrainian government said.

What does this mean?

The mere start of negotiations does not mean that Ukraine will join the EU soon. After all, as the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, stated, Ukraine could become a member of the bloc by 2030 "if both sides do their homework". Not only does Kyiv need to meet all the criteria for membership, but the EU, for its part, must be ready to accept a new member.

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Ukraine in three steps to EU membership

As previously explained by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, after the completion of negotiations on accession to the European Union, Ukraine will be three steps away from full membership in the EU.

These steps include the following decisions:

1. the European Commission's conclusion on the successful completion of negotiations and Ukraine's fulfilment of the accession criteria;

2. the decision to sign the Accession Agreement with the EU;

3. ratification of the Agreement by the parliaments of the EU member states and Ukraine's full membership in the EU.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Ukraine's accession to the EU will be an event of global significance for Europe and said that on 25 June there will be an inaugural part, after which six clusters of negotiations will start.

"They will open and close, and it will be experts in the relevant fields who will work to bring Ukrainian legislation in line with EU standards," Kuleba added.

As you know, in early June, Ukraine finally received a positive assessment from the European Commission, which called on the bloc members to start negotiations on the country's integration into the EU. 

The European Commission noted that Ukraine and Moldova are sufficiently ready for the formal start of EU accession negotiations.

We remind you! The European Union has officially decided to extend asylum for Ukrainian citizens. Read here to find out how long the temporary protection will be valid in the EU.

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