Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, believes that Ukraine will be ready for EU membership within two years, but it may join NATO before joining the European Union. Stefanishyna told about it in an interview with Voice of America.
"We will be ready for EU membership in the next two years, but naturally, the course of the war will determine the political framework.
I believe that two years will be enough for us to be fully prepared, and when the war is over, we will do 10 times more than we are doing now in order for this decision to be taken," she said.
Stefanishyna added that Ukraine is a major part of the European economy even in times of war. In particular, Ukraine is one of the top 20 importers of various products in the EU and the largest market in Europe: "And from this point of view, Ukraine is more ready to join the EU than other countries."
She added that Ukraine has already made the decision to join the EU: "With all its agricultural territories, with everything it has. There is no reality in which Ukraine will cease to be an agricultural country."
She noted that Ukraine is also working on its path to NATO membership, but the decision does not depend only on Ukraine.
Stefanishyna said that the issue of NATO is a political decision: "It was made at the summit in Vilnius. We are working to increase compatibility with the Alliance's forces and strengthen the country's strategic defence capability through reforms in the security and defence sector and through the lessons of war that we have learnt."
At the same time, Stefanishyna believes that Ukraine may join NATO sooner than it joins the EU. This is because after Ukraine’s victory, the Alliance will want to have a country with one of the strongest armies, which will be a guarantor of security for Europe.
