Ukraine is implementing the recommendations of the European Council to start negotiations on accession to the EU and believes that the European Union, in turn, will be ready to go its part of the way to meet Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"Today, with President of the European Council Charles Michel, we discussed Ukraine's progress in implementing the recommendations – everything that Ukraine has to do. We are doing and implementing everything," Zelensky said at a briefing with the head of the European Council and the President of Moldova in Kyiv.

As he noted, "Ukraine understands that the path of any country to the EU is a path of merit, not gifts, therefore Ukraine is implementing its part of the work."

"And we believe that the European Union will be ready to go its part to meet Ukraine halfway, as promised – so that by the end of the year, in December, the result will be such a desirable and important political decision for us on the start of accession negotiations and the approach of the process of full-fledged European integration," the president said.

He also said ten years ago on the Maidan in Kyiv, the whole of Europe saw how much the flag of the European Union really means for Ukraine.

"And when our Ukrainian flag is on an equal footing with all the EU flags in Brussels, this will mean that Europe will never again lose itself under the blows of any aggression. Thank you for your support to my colleague and for this important visit," Zelenskyy said.