Ukraine can meet criteria for all six negotiating clusters by end of 2027 - Kachka
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka is convinced that Ukraine can meet the criteria for all six negotiating clusters by the end of 2027.
At a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday following the conclusion of the third Intergovernmental Conference between Ukraine and the EU on membership, Kachka confirmed his view that all negotiating clusters are ready to be opened, stating: "Regarding the fulfillment of benchmarks, our plan remains unchanged – by the end of 2027, to adopt and begin implementing all necessary legislation."
The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that thanks to the implementation of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement, Kyiv has achieved a high level of implementation of key EU requirements. "So we are not starting from the very beginning. Therefore, for us, opening a cluster is a transition to the final stage of negotiations, where we can verify and prove that we have done everything," Kachka said.
He also noted that "even in the area of the rule of law, which is considered the most demanding, all institutions are working." "We are, indeed, successfully carrying out long-term structural reforms of the rule of law, despite any political debates in parliament regarding this or that legal act needed to improve the reforms," he said.
Kachka also recalled that judicial reform in Ukraine began 10 years ago. "This is the starting point that explains why I believe the end of next year is truly reasonable," Kachka said.