Ukraine, Moldova ready to launch EU accession talks on Cluster 1 – Ukraine's trade rep
Ukraine and Moldova are now prepared to open negotiations on Cluster 1 "Fundamentals" of the EU accession process, a readiness confirmed by the European Commission, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka said during a meeting with a delegation of the global parliamentary network United for Ukraine (U4U).
"Both countries need this next step, both for internal reasons and in a broader regional context. We want the EU to remain united – both on the question of our movement toward membership and in the framework of global efforts to achieve peace," the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture quoted Kachka as saying.
Economy, Environment and Agriculture Minister Oleksiy Sobolev stressed that comprehensive security guarantees are the most important factor in accelerating Ukraine's path to EU and NATO membership. "And one of the key indicators of the effectiveness of such guarantees is the willingness of foreign businesses to invest in Ukraine. We need deep economic integration not only with the EU market, but also with the G7 countries and the wider Western world. This will be the cross-cutting policy of our ministry and the government as a whole," he said.
According to Sobolev, Ukraine is particularly focused on attracting private foreign investment and expanding cooperation between Ukrainian and international entrepreneurs. The government, he said, is making every effort to create a favorable investment climate, minimize risks, and maintain active dialogue with businesses. At the same time, partner support is essential, particularly through actively promoting Ukraine as a profitable destination for investment.
The ministry added that the meeting with the U4U delegation also addressed the joint effort to open negotiations on Cluster 1, the development of Ukraine's economy, and interstate cooperation across various sectors.
The delegation to Kyiv included lawmakers from Lithuania, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, the European Parliament, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. On the Ukrainian side, the meeting was attended by Oleksandr Ilkov, Director General of the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
United for Ukraine brings together about 400 members of national parliaments from Europe, the United States, Canada, and other democratic countries. The network was created after Russia's full-scale invasion on the initiative of European Parliament member Andrius Kubilius, who now serves as European Commissioner for Defense and Space. U4U's key objective is to consolidate political efforts and exert pressure on national governments and international institutions to provide Ukraine with weapons, increase sanctions pressure on Russia, and channel investment into Ukraine's recovery.