Kiev, 27 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) – President Volodymyr Zelensky restated his aim for Ukraine to join the European Union by 2027, despite scepticism among some EU governments about such an accelerated timeline.

"Ukraine's accession to the European Union is one of the key security guarantees not only for us, but also for all of Europe," Zelensky posted on Telegram on Tuesday.

"Europe's collective strength is possible, in particular, thanks to Ukraine's security, technological and economic contributions," he continued.

Zelensky posted the message following a phone call on Tuesday with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker.

Ukraine has been an official EU candidate since 2022 and accession negotiations have formally begun.

Zelensky acknowledged that there was currently no prospect of an accelerated process and that EU enlargement procedures were typically lengthy, but said Kiev was nonetheless counting on support from its partners.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested it could be several years before Ukraine is admitted.

Zelensky recently said that US security guarantees have already been negotiated, but their entry into force would be contingent on an end to the war. Russia, however, has demanded territorial concessions from Ukraine that Ukraine is not prepared to agree to.

Ukraine and Russia conducted face-to-face talks in Abu Dhabi during the weekend with the United States mediating. The talks are set to continue on Sunday.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that Washington was pressuring Kiev to reach an agreement with Moscow based on territorial concessions in the east of the country.

Ukraine has been warding off a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.

Photo: dpa