Four years of war in Ukraine: Zelensky calls for clear EU accession date
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called for a date to be set for his country’s accession to the EU during a video address to the European Parliament on Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“It is important for us to receive a clear date for joining the EU,” he said in a 10-minute speech to MEPs, in which he also thanked Europe for its support. “This is not just a wish; it’s a clear understanding of how Putin will act. If there is no date, if there is no such guarantee, he will find a way to block Ukraine for decades by dividing you, by dividing Europe.”
He also urged the EU to approve the 90 billion euro loan, currently blocked by Hungary, that was agreed in December. “This is a real financial guarantee of our security and our resilience, and it must be implemented,” he said.
"If there is no date, if there is no such guarantee, he will find a way to block Ukraine for decades by dividing you, by dividing Europe"
The loan would contribute substantially to Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027, with 60 billion euros earmarked for the Ukrainian army.
The measure had been due to be approved on Monday by EU Foreign ministers. Leaders had given their approval at a summit in Brussels in December. However, Hungary, supported by Slovakia, vetoed it in recent days due to the halt in Russian oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline that crosses Ukraine.
The two countries accuse Kyiv of deliberately blocking the use of this pipeline for political reasons. Ukrainian officials claim the disruption to supplies since the end of January is due to Russian bombing. Hungary is refusing to approve the EU’s 20th round of sanctions against Russia for the same reason.
Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv on Tuesday. In a post on X, she said her presence was meant to “reaffirm that Europe stands unwaveringly with Ukraine, financially, militarily, and through this harsh winter”.
This is the 10th time since the start of the war that Von der Leyen has visited the Ukrainian capital. She was welcomed at a railway station with flowers in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
Later, Von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa met Zelensky and attended a memorial ceremony.
A meeting of the “coalition of the willing” also took place on Tuesday. French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister Keir Starmer chaired the video conference, at which the 35 participating countries reiterated their commitment to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a video address from his bunker in Kyiv, 24 February 2026 © PHOTO HANDOUT / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP
Related news
