President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the first intergovernmental conference between Ukraine and the European Union due in Luxembourg on Tuesday as a historic event that will officially kickstart the negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU.

"Today is a historic day when we are proceeding to the actual real negotiations with the European Union on the membership of Ukraine," he said on the Telegram channel.

The head of state recalled that Ukraine signed an application to join the EU on February 28, 2022, a few days after the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

"Almost two years ago, in June 2022, we were granted with the candidate status, and last December we obtained a political decision on the negotiations," he said.

"But exactly today the start of our membership in the EU will be marked: the first intergovernmental conference between Ukraine and the EU – already today," Zelenskyy said.

He also thanked everyone who is defending Ukraine and its people.

"I am grateful to the team which does its best to make us a part of the European Union. We will never be led astray from our path to a united Europe, to our common home – all European nations. A home that should be peaceful!" the head of state said.