Budrys: Ukraine’s EU membership is the most important security guarantee for both Ukraine and Europe; negotiations must begin immediately
On 1 June, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys, met in Vilnius with Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and expressed strong support for Ukraine's accession to the EU as soon as possible.
The Minister noted that the 26 EU member states had agreed on the EU’s position in negotiations with Ukraine some time ago, but the EU accession talks could not be formally launched due to Hungary’s veto on Ukraine. Now, with the change in the Government in Hungary, there is no reason to further delay the process.
“Ukraine’s EU membership is the most important security guarantee both for Ukraine itself and for all of Europe. Therefore, it is in all of our interests for Ukraine to join our community as soon as possible with all its military strength and human and economic potential. The talks, which could not begin due to a politically motivated and completely unfounded blockade by Viktor Orbán’s Government, must be launched immediately following the change in Hungary’s Government,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister emphasized during a meeting with Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister.
The Minister expressed Lithuania’s firm support for the earliest possible opening of all six negotiation clusters.
Budrys assured Kachka that Lithuania continues to strongly support Ukraine’s full-fledged membership of the EU and continues to hold the view that both Ukraine and the EU must focus all their attention on ensuring that Ukraine becomes an EU member no later than 2030.
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Kachka is visiting Lithuania as part of a delegation led by Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The second intergovernmental consultation meeting between Lithuania and Ukraine is taking place in Vilnius on 1 June.
Photo: Penek
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