Leading European and Ukrainian parliamentarians gather to discuss Ukraine’s path to the EU

A kick-off meeting between the chairmen of the committees of the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was held in Brussels on 12 April to discuss Ukraine’s future development path.

At this first Inter-Committee meeting, the committee chairs of the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada – the Ukrainian parliament – debated the nature and challenges of the EU accession process. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) stated their firm condemnation of the illegal and unjustified Russian war of aggression.

Opening the meeting, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “Today’s meeting marks the launch of an in-depth, comprehensive and concrete sectoral cooperation between our two institutions, cooperation that is crucial in view of Ukraine’s European path. Rest assured that Ukraine will always find a friend and ally in the European Parliament. My hope is that accession negotiations will be able to start already this year.”

Looking at future cooperation between both parliaments, MEPs expressed their willingness to deepen institutional ties and offer more support and expertise to their Ukrainian colleagues, including in the areas of alignment with EU laws and in post-war recovery. 

MEPs also said it was essential to link reconstruction efforts to a reform process that secures Ukraine’s European integration.

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Press release