Ukraine could become a member of the European Union after the European Commission nominated it as a candidate, the first step on a long path to membership in the war-torn country.
Ukraine applied for membership in the bloc less than a week after Russia invaded the country for the first time.
President Vladimir Zelensky hailed the news from Brussels as a “big step forward”.
On Thursday, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited Ukraine and vowed to support Kyiv becoming an official candidate.
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Mr Zelensky said Ukraine had “strong” support from those countries.
“It was important for me to hear another fundamental thing from the leaders – they agree that the end of the war in Ukraine and peace must be determined exactly as Ukraine sees them,” Zelensky said.
“As our people see them.”
This move is unlikely to please Russian President Vladimir Putin, who does not want Ukraine to have strong relations with the West.
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4:18 Explanation of Ukraine’s candidacy for EU membership
The recommendation will now be discussed by the leaders of the 27 EU member states at next week’s summit in Brussels. All members must agree to the accession of each new country, together with the pace of negotiations and the conditions under which it joins.
“Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective,” said commission chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen.
“We want them to live with us, the European dream.”
Image: Ursula von der Leyen wore Ukrainian colors when she announced the decision
However, the decision is conditional on Ukraine carrying out a number of reforms, von der Leyen added.
“Ukraine clearly demonstrates the country’s aspirations and the country’s determination to live in line with European values and standards,” she said.
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Candidate status was also recommended for Moldova, while things remain a little more difficult for Georgia, which is also applying for membership.
Ms von der Layen said that although Georgia had a strong application, it had not yet come together politically.
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There is a long way to go until Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union, but this is an important first step on the road.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, dressed in the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag, was careful not to strike a triumphant tone or present it as an act of regret.
Her analysis of Ukraine’s strengths was entirely linked to the country’s political and economic structures and its ambitions for the future.
So we talked about the work that Ukraine has begun, but still has to do, to enforce the rule of law, tighten anti-corruption procedures and limit the powers of the oligarchs.
However, Ms von der Leyen said progress had been good so far, saying she deserved to be promoted to official candidate, along with Moldova.
This does not mean that Ukraine is on track to join the ranks of EU member states, because the next path to membership could be long. Turkey was in fact declared an official candidate at the end of the last century, but has no chance of joining the bloc in the foreseeable future.
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