countries of the european union today is a historic day for ukraine for the eu for europe you can find more details as usual on our website bbc.ua well , we will meet as usual tomorrow at 21:00 program verdict my name is serhiy rudenko good day and good health to all today is the 120th day of the heroic resistance of the ukrainian people against the russian occupiers. today in brussels , the historic summit of the european union is taking place. the 27 member countries of the european union have to give an answer to whether it receives candidate status.

ukraine and moldova, meanwhile, the russians continue their offensive on severodonetsk and lysychansk, the enemy is also attacking mykolaiv, odesa, sumy oblast , dnipropetrovsk oblast , shelling of populated areas of ukraine is underway in almost all southern and eastern regions, while the occupiers continue to lose strength and live equipment , starting from february 24, the enemy has already lost in ukraine has almost 34,000 people, 15 tanks, 3,632 armored fighting vehicles , 756 artillery systems, 238 rocket launchers, 99 anti-aircraft weapons of defense 216 aircraft 183 helicopters 2548 units of automotive equipment 14 ships boats - 130 cruise missiles - 620 drones 61 units of

special equipment today about ukraine in the european union as well as the prospects of ukraine's integration into the north atlantic alliance and russia's conflict with lithuania let's talk with our guest, a politician, diplomat, minister of foreign affairs of ukraine in 2007-2009 volodymyr ogrizm mr. volodymyr good day good health and i congratulate you on this historic day for ukraine i hope that it will become historic. i congratulate you, mr. sergey . good health to you and to all our dear viewers. i also think that today we are on the threshold of a historic event that should happen a little later . this day or maybe tomorrow morning, although i think that a decision will be made. already today and this is really something that will be included in the textbooks, i think history because right now the final final

separation of ukraine from the post-soviet past is happening right now we are crossing the line that will forever cut us off from what is called russian peace be there and no matter how they say it in moscow, no matter how they spew saliva but it's already forever , that is, today i really think there will be a holiday behind the threshold, there will be grief well, but this is not an objective fact and thank god that already those who tried for 30 years to prevent us from doing everything and the decisive step today in the historic defeat, they called more stories, they are not those who look to the future - they are those who look to the past well, we mean in ukrainian we have to find our sleeves

despite you know that this terrible war is going on now they were counting the losses of the enemy, mr. serhiy, yes , for each of them, the heroism of our fighters, the mushroom of our military, it’s not just that 215 planes were destroyed there, these are the heroic actions of our military pilots, our gunners, our rocket launchers, this what really makes us think every time that those who are not at the front today but in the rear should think every day about what they can do to help our army so that it increases in numbers and that in the end this enemy - this is this pride was destroyed and rejected from the territory of our state, mr. volodymyr, ukraine declared its euro-atlantic choice and direction back in the 90s, i remember how in 2004-2005

you were the ambassador on special assignments of the euro-atlantic integration department of the ministry of foreign affairs of ukraine, if i am not mistaken, if i am wrong, please correct me took care of the issues of euro-atlantic integration in this process, in the process of ukraine's movement to the european union, there were different periods, now we are already on the threshold of the european union, let's explain to our viewers what ukraine's candidacy means european union and what period - this candidacy can occupy energy in this process . i was sent with special assignments to take care of european integration issues, but this topic is close to me in the 90s,

when i worked in the presidential administration. took care of issues of foreign policy activity, just then we took the first but very important steps to advance to nato, although she did not see too many of us among her members at that time, but the positive was exactly then when we started this process, so he is already 25 years old, thank god and now we are getting closer to the fact that it will have a historical significance and that it will have not only a political significance, but a practical significance for us and for all ukrainians. what does this mean in real life? it means that we will be considered by the european union as its potential e-e member as a country that after a certain period of time will acquire

full membership, what needs to be done for this, you know that the european commission as a compromise between those who demanded among the europeans to grant ukraine the status without surgery, that is, without any conditions and those who said that well, you know, there is still a lot to do. the european commission found an e-e, it seems to me an absolutely optimal compromise and said that we recommend granting the status. but the start of accession negotiations is postponed until ukraine fulfills these displaced e- you know the seven points, mr. serhiy, as far as i am concerned, this is a gift from the european communist party, because these are the things we have been talking about for years, if not decades, isn't it in the interests of ukraine to finally deal with the fact that ukrainian corruption, isn't it in the interests of ukraine

to deal with what the ukrainian judicial system is, from which all foreign investors are fleeing, don't we need to finally return to the topic and the rule of law as such in our state. that is, these are the things that we must do it for yourself, not for the european commission, it's for us, that's why i think that er, hmm, those er tasks that we actually have were prescribed by er officials from the european commission. this is for our benefit, it will help us become better and start negotiations. well, the first one so to speak the revision of this process will take place at the end of the year. i am very glad that our vice-prime minister for european integration, mrs. olga stefanyshina, clearly and rather ambiguously stated that by the end of the year we will fulfill all these points, i will tell you

frankly that i i will stand to applaud if, mr. volodymyr, now let's listen to olga stefanyshyn , who talks about it, and let's listen to charles michel, who talks about the fact that he is optimistic about the european perspective , ukraine's perspective, let's listen to my country candidate we get access to the structural funds of the european union. this is absolutely immeasurable compared to what we had before. funds that will not be fully directed to the restoration of the reconstruction of ukraine and the building of a sustainable competitive economy. obtaining this status is my intention that we grant candidate status for accession to ukraine and moldova, of course they still need to ensure the rule of law and fight corruption ukrainians chose freedom

democracy and the european future. they are fighting for it right now, and we are on their side. well, there are seven demands , or simply put, seven blocs that the european union articulated. implementation of legislation on the procedure for selecting judges of the constitutional court completion of the selection of candidates for members of the high council of justice and selection of candidates for the high qualification commission of judges of ukraine strengthening the fight against corruption appointing a new heads of the special anti-corruption prosecutor's office and the special anti-corruption national anti-corruption bureau e-e ensuring compliance with the anti- money laundering legislation e-e introduce an anti- oligarchic law adopt a law on snakes that will bring ukraine closer to european legislation complete the reform of legislation on the protection of

national minorities ukraine has long been able to fulfill the seven blocks, well, at least. over the past three years, they have constantly talked about the need to appoint managers the national anti-corruption bureau and regarding the rotation of judges and regarding the judicial reform. why are ukrainians always waiting for this magical kicker in order to do what, in principle, is in the interests of the entire ukrainian society and not in the interests of only the european union here? i think that this is necessary, this task must be directed to our authorities because they are ukrainians. i think we would sincerely like them to finally really deserve to live the way the countries of the european union live, but why don't the authorities want this to happen and why are they making things up any uh reasons to bypass all these

things this matter is really up to the authorities but you know i think that after this decision is made today or tomorrow uh the ball will be completely really completely on the side of ukraine and if the government will not be able to do what is written in these seven points. if i were to group all these points, then two things are provided: the reform of the judicial reform, the reform of the anti-corruption judicial system . what well, in which european country does the titular nation have fewer rights than national minorities? well, that's why we're talking about the fact that it should have been implemented a long time ago and it's not being implemented, not because the people don't want it, but the streets due to the fact that the

authorities, knowing that carrying out these reforms will actually mean the end of corruption, the end of what is called the use of power for self-interested purposes, it is precisely because of this that she did not want to make appropriate decisions for years although , look at mr. serhiy, we have an agreement on association in the same place, all of this is written in the same way in the same way every year in january, the ambassadors of the countries of the gsaven countries just give us well, as they say, how now will the european commission give us the same way they prescribe to us by points, friends and colleagues. please, you must do this if you would now raise what they wrote this year last year and the year before last, the very points. so we are talking about the question now will be about the government. or will she

really demonstrate that she is european and that she wants real changes in ukraine or then er well, this issue will be decided by the ukrainian civil society, but we know how. well, especially against the background of the war and against the background of what price is being given to us, this movement towards european integration is meant starting from 2014. however, before the summit , which is to be held today in brussels, the premiere albania eddie rama e-e says that ukraine should have no illusions about e-e acquiring membership in the european union north macedonia a candidate for 17 years if i'm not mistaken albania 9 we congratulate ukraine it's good to grant candidate status but i hope that the people of ukraine will not have big illusions about this. well, we know that

turkey is finding the status of e-e has been in this status for 13 years since 1999, we know that montenegro since 2010, serbia since 2012, albania since 2014 this is a long candidacy that exists in some countries, countries allow the russians to raise their eyebrows, and the same deputy head of the security council of the russian federation, dmitry medvedev, says that while ukraine will join the european union, the european union can therefore in the form of you will cease to exist. based on your diplomatic experience, do you think that ukraine will be able to pass, well, together with moldova, because we have to enter this candidacy together, or will we be able to pass this candidacy as experts and gain membership in the european union much faster than albania or

north macedonia mr. sergey's question is fair. that is, why does the european union not give its candidates the opportunity to acquire membership within a reasonable period of time? there really is such a thing as a reasonable period, that is, when well, it cannot be measured by a centimeter, because each country is an individual case and here you have to take individual steps, but there is a positive logic, well, the admission process cannot last 30 years, right? well, then it loses its meaning er, but on the other hand, er, if we look at the er, of these candidates, then probably well, not everything happens with them as er, it is spelled out in these very copenhagen criteria, another thing is that the european union itself creates problems for admission because

he still has the principle of unanimity at the adoption of a foreign policy decision, in particular, and i am very happy because, er, now, er, a discussion has practically begun regarding the fact that some postulates that have been valid throughout the existence of the european union will have to be abandoned from the letters of candidates for membership to ukraine, and we are ready to grant such a status georgia, as soon as they achieve the necessary progress, this is a historic moment, and on 09 we are going to provide exclusive membership to ukraine

ukraine! the president of ukraine and the president of georgia reported unconditionally we are talking about aid and financial aid, the military topic in ukraine of the european union was directed to preserve energy security

, food security, all somewhere long women also calls on char-michel to unite all efforts to mobilize the appropriate reforms of e-e legislation in the field of judiciary and all membership status provided in fact in advance and therefore powerful work is expected from the side of official kyiv, they were engaged and they p- hello in everything to such you will find somewhere as soon as possible the necessary efforts. we also hope in

in the near future, and from you, they give a damn about the possibility of a bite-sized lviv woman, a defect of indisn, they absolutely took the parliament and the european council on you to restore the issue of bosnia and herzegovina, all efforts were directed to dialogue between belgrade , thanks to the water already home, the engine 12 runs

pofigu, i don't remember lida's last name why are you moving to a hotel? the european political community seeks to respond to challenges to extreme exclamations in order to find a solution. thank you for those involved for the wonderful involvement in mobilizing the training efforts and also congratulations to him on his victory in the presidential elections. thank you for sending him a message of gratitude in particular for all

the efforts of the president . a moment for all of europe, i congratulate president zelensky, president sanduza rabishvili, all three countries are part of our european family, and we have never doubted it. and today, a historic decision by the leaders confirms this, we see the prospect of admission to the eu and we understand that there is still a lot of work ahead, but today is a moment of satisfaction and that is why i am very happy because the best signal of hope has appeared for these three countries, for georgia, moldova and ukraine, they have a lot

of work ahead of them but i believe that all countries will make every effort to quickly work as conscientiously as possible to carry out the necessary reforms not only in order to become part of the european community, but first of all so that all these reforms strengthen competitiveness everyone three countries and they have to bring good for all citizens, that is why i am very glad that this effort is the decision we made today, it strengthens us all, it strengthens ukraine against russian aggression and also strengthens the european union, because this is a sign that the european the union is united and strong in the face of

the external threat to the president of france. he says that we were united by the war of russia against ukraine . the war period is very much an issue that united all of europe. we want to support ukraine for that. thank you for the work of the european council of europe for the

work of president charles michel for the consensus that we sought to achieve today, because the message sent by president zelenskyi is quite a strong message . and er, it was a reaction to this, a quick reaction to such a threat, and today's decision is also, er, the adoption of granting ukraine the status of a candidate is our response to this threat that is currently hanging over this is europe, so today we united as never before and we congratulate georgia, moldova, and ukraine, because we are strengthening our geopolitical situation, we understand that countries must

meet all the requirements set before them by the european commission. and we understand that we must do everything for that to support the political situation in the context that we in the context that we have now cheesemakers er all the necessary support for our friends to

speed up admission to here is the video on the two-factor, this is our direct responsibility and we understand what we have to understand what should be our next steps today in relation to the until tomorrow we must look to the future that is why all these debates that were today the issue of the membership of e-e moldova ukraine what are the consequences war, we understand that the whole world is destabilized, therefore, in such a context , it was quite difficult to discuss uh, but we understood

the need for our cooperation, economic , political, therefore, uh, we protect all our allies and partners, therefore, thank you to the president and to the president for taking such a historic decision, the case case make event will now be a question of

lithuha for lithuania, explain that calf. but i understand that this work that we are doing now is a historical work, we see courage on the part of kyiv. they are defending and fighting for their country, but there is a youth, there can be an excursion, well, of course, get involved so as not to provoke a bigger conflict, therefore, in fact, there is such a situation when we have to look for e-e moments in which context we can react in the political context, in the political context, in the economic and involved, we

put forward our proposals for rural confidence, which is now needed by ukraine, as well as other countries from the point of view of the life of the political life" the majority party of the president of bulgaria has reached political certainty