Europe ready to back EU membership for Ukraine to ensure security

European Council President Antonio Costa has said that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would be the most important security guarantee for the future of the country.

Costa was speaking at a joint press conference with EU leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy said that he hopes the US will continue to support his country.

"We shouldn't lose unity between Europe and the US," he said, adding that Ukraine's potential membership of NATO or the EU would significantly improve its territorial protection.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, backed this by stating that Ukraine could become a member state earlier than 2030 if Kyiv continues on speedy reforms, saying membership to the bloc is merit-based.

“What I want to emphasise is that if you would just only set a date, then it would also mean the other candidate countries would ask immediately for a date and not a process anymore. But again, I really appreciate the political will that is there. I would even say Ukraine’s merit-based process. If they continue at that speed and at that quality, perhaps they could be earlier than 2030,” von der Leyen said.

On the topic of security guarantees, Zelenskyy said discussions were ongoing but not yet public, explaining, "We will discuss, now it's not for public because we didn't make a decision, about the contingents and infrastructure for security guarantees... I know the number what we need, of course we will share it, firstly, not in an open conversation, not to prepare Russians for this."

Marking the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with continuing pressure on the battlefield, Western leaders gathered in Kyiv for commemorative