Lithuania has joined seven other European Union countries to voice support for Ukraine’s membership in the bloc, the president’s office said late on Monday.
The presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Slovakia signed an open letter calling on the leaders of other EU member states to support Ukraine’s membership bid.
“We […] strongly believe that Ukraine deserves receiving an immediate EU accession perspective,” the leaders said in the letter quoted in the press release of the Lithuanian president’s office.
“Therefore, we call on the EU Member States to consolidate highest political support to Ukraine and enable the EU institutions to conduct steps to immediately grant Ukraine an EU candidate country status and open the process of negotiations,” it added.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also expressed his support for Ukraine’s EU membership during a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.
“Expressed unwavering Lithuanian support for Ukraine’s fight and European membership. Full like-mindedness on where should the Russian military ship go and what needs to be done to get it there faster,” he said on Twitter.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an official application to join the EU.
On Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen aroused the hopes of the Ukrainians for a speedier accession by telling Euronews that Ukraine “is one of us and we want them in the European Union”.
However, EU officials say that the bloc does not have any accelerated accession procedure. Countries willing to join the bloc usually face a long and complicated process, often involving major reforms that must be implemented to achieve EU standards.
Read more: Lithuanian politicians back Ukraine‘s quick accession to EU
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