During his visit to Berlin, the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefantschuk, emphatically called for his country's admission to the EU.

As a first step, he wants the EU member states to grant Ukraine EU candidate status at their summit at the end of June.

"Ukraine is Europe," said Stefantschuk during a conversation with Parliament President Bärbel Bas (SPD) and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the European Committee on Thursday afternoon in the Bundestag.

"For these words, the Ukrainians were first beaten, then killed, today they will be exterminated for it," said the speaker of the parliament.

"Ukrainians are waiting for the recognition of Europe."

Helen Bubrowski

Political correspondent in Berlin.

  • Follow I follow

Stefantschuk knows the skepticism of the federal government.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said in a government statement in mid-May that the accession process was "not a matter of a few months or a few years".

"We know that we still have a lot to do for this," said Stefantschuk on Thursday.

He described the status as an EU accession candidate as a foundation on which to build.

He called on the Bundestag to pass a corresponding resolution or decision.

"This will also show the chancellor and the government the way." Russia invaded Europe on February 24.

It would be nice if there was a reaction on June 24, said Stefantschuk.

On June 23rd and 24th, the heads of state and government will meet at a summit in Brussels.

Anton Hofreiter (Greens), chairman of the European Committee, said on Thursday: "It is urgent that Ukraine is given candidate status," many MPs applauded.

There are fears that Ukraine is not ready yet.

But candidate status does not mean that Ukraine would already be a member, according to Hofreiter.

But it is a sign to Russia: "Yes, Ukraine has a perspective, yes, it belongs to Europe." Hofreiter, together with Michael Roth (SPD), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP ), the chairperson of the Defense Committee, was the first German politician to travel to Ukraine in April since the beginning of the war.

Roth also affirmed on Thursday the need for a peaceful enlargement of the EU – “not in a hurry, but as quickly as possible”.

Roth said: "Our European values, our security are currently being defended primarily in Ukraine," so the country deserves "not a formulaic compromise, but an honest answer."

In June, the EU should decide on candidate status.

"Our striving for freedom and European values ​​gave us the strength to fight," said Stefantschuk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is afraid that Ukraine will integrate into Europe.

But his country does not want to be either a "Russian colony" or a "buffer zone," said Stefantschuk.

Putin has not forgiven the Ukrainians for turning to democracy and freedom.

Without Ukraine, the idea of ​​“reviving a Soviet Union 2.0” would not work.

After February 24, many believed that Ukraine would fall within three days.

"Now it's day 99. Not only did we stop the attacker, we are taking back our country."