Zelensky: Negotiations for Ukraine's Accession to EU Could Begin This Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stepped up his pressure for his country's rapid accession to the European Union (EU).

Zelensky met over a summit held in Kyiv with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

"He added that he spoke with the EU senior officials.

The Ukrainian president said that this situation must be legally confirmed.

The President of the European Commission had said earlier that Kyiv had a long way to go before becoming a member of the European Union.

Despite this, Zelensky said, von der Leyen and Michel indicated at Friday's summit in Kyiv that accession negotiations might begin soon.

The Ukrainian president said: "There is an understanding that it is possible to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union during the current year."

He vowed that Ukraine would do everything in its power to ensure that Russia's aggression turned into "suicide" for Moscow.

For her part, Von der Leyen said the European Commission had not set "timetables" for the accession process.