ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday to speed up Ukraine's EU membership process, arguing that political progress in Europe must be supported by concrete steps toward a cease-fire with Russia.

Zelenskyy said in a statement on X that after speaking with von der Leyen on the phone, both of them reaffirmed their joint call for a "true and unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days," which he described as necessary for launching meaningful diplomacy.

“The opening of negotiation clusters must begin without further delay,” he stressed, describing the process not only as a legal milestone but also as a strategic push to strengthen peace efforts backed by the EU and US.

Zelenskyy also highlighted the Ukrainian parliament’s ratification of the economic partnership agreement with the US, which von der Leyen welcomed. He said it reflects Kyiv’s deeper integration with the West, not only in economic terms but also diplomatically.

“We are working closely with the EU and the US to build a framework for a just and lasting peace. Removing obstacles to our EU path is part of that,” he added.