Zelensky: Ukraine's EU membership, “powerful response” to Russian occupation

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky has called on the European Union to offer Ukraine membership in this bloc, since, according to him, the move would constitute a powerful “response” to the unprotested Russian invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, while trying to boost influence on the countries of the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine, to prevent their integration into Western organisations.

This Russia's fight against Ukraine is planned as a measure of crackdown on a united Europe. The largest community is a powerful reply”, he said on May 5th, when asked about official candidacy for membership.

The candidacy opens the door for formal negotiations for membership, a process that includes adopting EU laws, and meeting the criteria.

Ukraine has pursued the path of European integration from former president Viktor Yanukovych's collapse in 2014.

The European bloc of 27 member states has not expanded since nearly a decade, due to low support from key states and slow economic growth.

Zelensky has said that the European bloc should make Ukraine candidate “immediately”, and that with accelerated procedure.

He has also called on the West to have an active role in rebuilding the state after the war ended.

Referring to the Marshall Plan, a broad American initiative to rebuild Europe after World War II and as a shield against Moscow-Thelensky has said Ukraine needs <x0).

Russian invasion has destroyed Ukraine's economy, damaged infrastructure worth billions of dollars, including airports, bridges, ports and plants.

Thousands of people have been killed, and more than five million have fled the country. /rel/