Ukraine's Zelenskyy says this is a 'historic week' as his country awaits word on its EU membership application

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

KRINFORM/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

• Ukraine applied to join the European Union days after Russia's invasion in February.
• The 27 EU leaders will meet this week to discuss the application, a unanimous decision is needed.
• It's a "fateful" decision, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is entering a "historic week" as he waits to find out whether Ukraine's bid to join the European Union will be approved.

The EU's 27 member states must decide unanimously that Ukraine's candidacy request should be successful. The country applied to join the EU less than a week after Russia invaded in February.

"Tomorrow a truly historic week begins," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Sunday June 19.

The European Commission has already approved the application, and the European Council will respond at the end of the week, he said.

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said she believes Ukraine's request to join will get the green light.

—Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 17, 2022

 

"I firmly believe that we will get a positive decision, that we will get support, that the course has now been set," von der Leyen told German broadcaster ARD, as per Al Jazeera.

Zelenskyy has also expressed confidence.

"I think it is obvious to everyone that since 1991 there have been few such fateful decisions for Ukraine as we expect now," he said in his address. "And I am convinced that only a positive decision meets the interests of the whole of Europe."

EU leaders will meet on June 23-24 to discuss Ukraine's candidacy, but German, French, Romanian, and Italian leaders have all given their blessing already, AP reported.

The war could 'last for years'

Not only Ukraine, but other European countries should expect "greater hostile activity from Russia," Zelenskyy said in his address.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that "nobody knows" how long the war could last, as Business Insider's Katie Balevic reported.

"We need to be prepared for it to last for years," Stoltenberg said, urging allies "not to weaken support for Ukraine, even if the costs are high, not only in terms of military aid but also because of the increase in energy and food goods prices."

The comments come as the new chief of the British Army warned troops they must "prepare to fight in Europe once again," Business Insider's Bethany Dawson reported.

General Sir Patrick Sanders told soldiers they must be ready "to protect the UK and be ready to fight and win wars on land" and that there is a "burning imperative to forge an army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle."

Read the original article on Business Insider

from Business Insider https://ift.tt/m7TlJdn
via IFTTT https://href.li/?https://bit.ly/smartgadgets- https://href.li/?https://bit.ly/smart_gadgets https://href.li/?https://bit.ly/modern_gadgets https://href.li/?https://bit.ly/kitchen_toods