The Ukrainian president defended this Thursday that his country’s accession to the European Union is obvious and will happen “soon”, as Ukraine’s unity and values are common to Europe “even in times of war”.
“When we apply a decentralization reform in our country, we focus on the best European governance practices (…). Currently, the governance system in Ukraine, even in war situations, corresponds to the European system of democracy (. . .). Our unity , our common values, our common rules of life are good examples. I am sure that they will soon bring us all a clear result, namely Ukraine’s full membership of the EU,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message addressed to the European Committee of the Regions.
In the message, sent on the second day of the 155th plenary session that started on Wednesday and takes place in Brussels, he thanked this body for supporting Ukraine “on this path of integration”.
“And I am also sure of one thing: Ukraine will be such a part of Europe that not a single ruin will remain,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president addressed an audience full of local and regional leaders, from cities and regions of the EU’s 27 member states, in a body currently chaired by Portugal’s Vasco Cordeiro, which, as part of the presentation of a European Alliance of Municipalities and regions for the reconstruction of Ukraine, was with Zelensky in Kiev in April.
Zelensky argued that “there may be different national approaches to a specific system of government in a given country, but the main principle of respect for regions, respect for communities is indispensable for everyone”.
“If the EU’s Committee of the Regions and its cities and communities work directly with Ukraine, with our cities and communities, it means a collaboration that not only strengthens both sides, but also our own Europe,” he said.
In a message calling for plenary and applauding Zelensky, Ukraine’s leader said that this country will “repair the ruins Russia brought with the war” and “rebuild everything” to “show strength”, Ukraine’s strength , and , he emphasized, “the strength of our Europe”.
Zelensky also told Committee of the Regions members that he has created “a special institution in Ukraine”, the Congress of Local and Regional Governments, which translates into a platform to provide development opportunities to regions and communities and “enhance the interaction between the Central government and local authorities”.
“Of course, the Congress must also play a key role in reconstruction. I invite you to cooperate with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Ukraine at all levels. Both at the level of the full EU Committee of the Regions as direct: your regions with our regions, your cities and communities with our cities and communities,” he concluded.
This intervention will take place in a plenary session, the agenda of which will include the discussion of the mid-term review of the EU budget, as well as the contribution of local and regional entities to crisis management and reconstruction in Ukraine.
In parallel with the plenary, the President of the Committee of the Regions will, according to the invitation sent to Lusa this afternoon, preside over the opening of the international conference “Putting the Lugano Principles into Practice: Strengthening the Role of Local and Regional governments in the process of recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine and towards EU membership”.
This initiative, organized by the Committee of the Regions with the governments of Ukraine, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the OECD and the European Commission, aims to present recommendations that will be discussed at the Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, which will be held in London will be held on 21 and 22 June .
The European Committee of the Regions is the European Union’s assembly of regional and local representatives of the 27 Member States.
Source: DN
