PRESS RELEASE : The whole world understands that it is Ukraine who is implementing the main reform in Europe – Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 1 July 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that Ukraine will pass all the necessary laws and carry out all the reforms important for obtaining full membership in the European Union. But it will happen in order of priority. The Head of State said this during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Kyiv.

“The acquisition of the candidacy is completely transparent, and many countries have been moving towards this for years. We have completed this path in 115 days precisely because we acted very quickly, talked, negotiated, voted, passed laws. Even difficult laws – the Anticorruption Strategy, the Istanbul Convention – very important, complex things that have not been adopted in the Verkhovna Rada for decades. I am glad that the states supported us, that we obtained this status,” said the President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine will fulfill all criteria for EU membership, which are primarily recommendations, not requirements. In particular, a contest for the position of Head of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) will be announced in the near future.

“The whole world understands that the main reform currently taking place in Europe is being carried out by Ukraine. It is us who are doing everything to ensure that the European Union and NATO are united. And they are united like never before. This is the main reform that Ukraine has already made – the people and the government were united in this reform. Unfortunately, the price of this reform is very high,” the Head of State said.

According to the President, there is a lot of trust in Ukraine today in the international arena, as the world community sees at what pace our country is progressing on the way to full membership in the European Union.

“So all reforms will be made, passed – I have no doubt about that. But everything will be done in the order of priority for our state,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President also emphasized that we cannot allow the decrease in the attention of European countries to the war in Ukraine.

“We understand that the distance of the war can be reduced in a day, two, three. Today, missiles fly hundreds of kilometers in minutes, so war is very close. All countries should understand this and should not wait for the war to enter their homes and knock on their doors. Therefore, it is very important that the attention to the war does not decrease,” the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the leaders of foreign states and the international mass media should explain to their societies the consequences of this war and the importance of supporting Ukraine.

For his part, the Prime Minister of Norway noted that in no case can the world forget about the war in Ukraine.

“If you want to turn your back on the war, forget about it, ignore it – this is a very wrong position. Because the war will not go anywhere. That is why we must keep the focus of our attention on Ukraine, on its people, on the values that Ukraine is fighting for,” Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized.