The European Council urged the Council of the EU to "swiftly adopt" accession negotiating frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova in a statement published on March 21.
"European Council invites the (EU) Council to swiftly adopt them and to take work forward without delay," read the conclusion published by Ecaterina Casinge, a spokesperson of European Council President Charles Michel.
In its November 2023 report, the European Commission – the EU's executive arm – recommended the launch of accession talks with Kyiv. The European Council then officially agreed in December 2023 to begin the talks.
The European Commission on March 12 proposed a draft framework for the membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova, another candidate to join the bloc of 27 countries.
In its latest conclusions, the European Council said it welcomes Ukraine's and Moldova's progress in advancing the necessary reforms on their EU path.
The European Council also expressed its determination to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic support to Ukraine for "as long as it takes and as intensely as needed," calling on other allies to join these efforts.
Previously, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the Ukrainian government hopes the negotiations on the country's accession to the European Union can start in the first half of 2024.
Michel said at the press conference after the European Council's meeting on March 21 that he believes the negotiating framework for Ukraine will be approved during Belgium's presidency in the EU, which terminates on June 30.
Read also: Kremlin admits Russia ‘de facto’ at war, calls Ukraine ‘occupying force’