Zelensky urges fast-track EU membership for Ukraine at summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the European Union to put Ukraine on a fast-track path to membership, telling an EU summit that Europe's future security is being shaped by the defence of his country. He said Ukraine deserved a place in the bloc and argued that the best guarantee for Europe's future would be to grant Kyiv accelerated accession. His remarks were delivered in a video message posted on X and addressed to leaders gathered for the summit.

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Zelensky said every democratic nation in Europe deserved to be in the EU and argued that Ukraine had paid a higher price than any other country for its right to be free and independent. He acknowledged that not all member states would support an accelerated process, but said a fast-track path could be the most important next step. He also linked the issue to wider European security, saying the continent's future was being decided in the defence of Ukraine.

The appeal came after EU ambassadors agreed last week to advance membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova. According to the summit process described in the row, discussions have begun on the first of six accession clusters, which are designed to align legislation and standards with the bloc. A statement issued by the European Council after the summit welcomed the start of accession talks for Ukraine and said it looked forward to the opening of the remaining clusters in line with a merit-based approach.

The development matters because EU accession talks are both a political signal and a technical process, and they carry implications for the bloc's long-term relationship with Ukraine. For Kyiv, progress on membership is tied to broader efforts to secure political backing, military funding and sanctions pressure on Moscow. For the EU, the issue also reflects how the war has reshaped debate over enlargement, security and the future structure of Europe.

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Zelensky also said Europe's security depended on continued funding for Ukraine's military and suggested that the EU and the coalition of willing countries supporting Kyiv could develop financial instruments to ensure that support. In the same messages, he said Ukraine was ready for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on resolving the more than four-year-old war. He added that Europe should remain vigilant and maintain pressure on Moscow, including on sanctions and confiscation measures without exceptions.

What remains unclear is how much support there is among EU member states for any accelerated accession timetable, and how quickly the formal talks can move beyond the first cluster. The process is still described as merit-based, which suggests further technical and political hurdles ahead. The next developments to watch are whether the accession talks expand into additional clusters and whether EU leaders translate their political backing into concrete financial and security measures for Ukraine.

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