"For Ukraine, after the opening of the first cluster of EU accession negotiations, the challenge arises of opening all clusters. Ukraine needs to join the EU as quickly as possible, against the backdrop of how, 'when we report on our reforms, the EU applies measures that create barriers for our exports to the EU, and Ukrainian society also has a question mark whether the EU really wants us there, or if it is competition,' said the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Trade Representative Taras Kachka during the YES Dinner Discussion in Gdansk on the eve of URC 2026, writes UNN."
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"The opening of the first cluster is still a miracle for me that all 27 member states gave their consent. That is why I truly admire the EU," said Kachka.
Now, he noted, we face the challenge of "turning this story into a classic enlargement, where there is 'cluster by cluster, requirement by requirement, and so on.'"
"And this we must avoid at all costs. We need to fully trust each other, and we need to open all these clusters to show that the EU is serious about Ukraine being in the European Union," emphasized the Vice Prime Minister. "We must be as serious as possible."
Meanwhile, he pointed out, "we also see that the EU is closing itself off from the rest of the world."
"Therefore, we need to join the EU as quickly as possible. Because when we report on our reforms, the EU applies measures that create barriers for our exports to the European Union, and Ukrainian society also has a question mark whether the EU really wants us there, or if it is competition," said Kachka.
At the same time, he noted that "we must remember that the 90 billion loan intended for Ukrainians is a unique instrument when the EU borrows funds for Ukraine's wartime needs. So from inside the European Union, this is something incredible that seems to lay the foundation of the constitutional essence of the European Union. Then we know that the EU is with us."
"So we need to take this as seriously as possible, playing fewer games, preferably not playing games at all, and so on. And then we will also respond with reforms," indicated the Vice Prime Minister.
Ukraine expects the opening of five more negotiation clusters with the EU – Zelenskyy18.06.26, 19:46