Negotiating Fundamentals cluster 1 regarding the EU accession process with Ukraine may be opened in the first half of 2025, most likely in April-May, said Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos in a blitz interview with Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv.

"We are now preparing everything possible, doing the screening and we hope that in some time in the first half of next year we will be able to open the first cluster which is fundamentals… So, even if we do everything possible, probably it won't be earlier than April next year. But once we will start, then we will go on quickly," she said following her visit to the Ukrainian capital on December 1.

Kos noted that she was very pleased to visit Kyiv on her first day as Enlargement Commissioner.

"Enlargement is one of the priorities of the whole European Commission and it is also a priority for Ukraine, for your government, for your parliament and even for civil society which I met today," the European Commissioner said.

She stressed that Ukraine is doing immense progress, since making this amount of reforms in the time when the country is on war, it's something unprecedented and congratulations for this.

"My task as Commissioner for Enlargement is to support your government to first start the negotiation process and then bring it to the end. This is tough work. It's a lot of technical work. It's a lot on both sides, in Brussels and also here," Kos said.

She recalled that according to the new methodology, the Fundamentals is the first to open and the last to close.

"Today I've heard a wish that we could open as much as possible clusters next year," the European Commissioner added.

Kos noted that the timing of the closing of the negotiating clusters depends on the candidate country. "We will assist you, I will work day and night to help you to go through this process but most of the work is done on your side," the European Commissioner for Enlargement said.

According to her, meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna demonstrated a very positive attitude towards the EU accession, and both sides will work hand in hand t to enable Ukraine to become a member of the European Union.

Kos clarified that Enlargement today is different than it was five years back or when my country Slovenia was entering the EU in 2004. At that time mostly we have seen the accession process through the economic classes as an economic process. "Today, especially because of you being our candidate, it is about much more. It is about securing peace, freedom and prosperity. And these are actually the reasons why the European Union has been established. To secure peace, freedom and prosperity. And it is now in our hands to enable you joining us," the European Commissioner said.

She found it difficult to name the timing of Ukraine's possible EU accession, recalling that the negotiation process covers more than 30 chapters. "Once we will come to the final line of the accession process, then all the member states have to give green light," she said.

"But you are on a very good way, because of Ukraine, we have a new dynamic, a positive dynamic in all the candidate countries," Kos said.