Zelenskyy urges EU leaders to fast-track Ukraine’s membership bid

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press
BRUSSELS, Belgium — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged European Union leaders in Brussels to fast-track Ukraine’s membership bid, saying Kyiv has paid the highest price for its European future.

According to Euronews, Zelenskyy called on EU leaders to open all accession clusters in the coming weeks and ultimately support Ukraine’s accelerated path toward full EU membership. Speaking during the EU summit in Brussels, the Ukrainian leader said his country deserved membership “more than any other European country” because it has defended its freedom, independence and European identity under Russia’s full-scale war.

Zelenskyy presses for a faster EU path

Zelenskyy told EU leaders that Ukraine’s accession process should not be treated as a routine enlargement file. He argued that Ukraine’s fight against Russia has become directly linked to the future of Europe’s security, political unity and democratic order.

Ukraine formally seeks full EU membership and has repeatedly urged Brussels to speed up the process, while also insisting that the country’s integration should remain merit-based. Kyiv says the war has shown that Ukraine is not only defending its own territory but also helping protect the wider European project from Russian aggression.

The Ukrainian president said Ukraine had paid a unique price for the right to remain free, independent and European. He also said that independence from Russia was not only Ukraine’s right but the right of other nations as well.

Ukraine’s army presented as a European asset

Zelenskyy also focused on Ukraine’s military experience, telling European leaders that the country’s armed forces have become one of Europe’s strongest because of years of direct combat against Russia.

In a voice message shared with journalists after the summit, Zelenskyy said EU leaders recognized the value of Ukraine’s battlefield experience. He argued that Ukraine’s defense capabilities could strengthen Europe at a time when the bloc is trying to build a more credible security and defense posture.

Ukraine has developed extensive expertise in drone warfare, air defense, long-range strikes, battlefield logistics and rapid military adaptation. Kyiv says this experience could become a major contribution to the EU’s future defense planning if Ukraine joins the bloc.

Zelenskyy also described Ukraine as effectively one of NATO’s most important military partners, saying the country is fighting what he called “the world’s second strongest army.” He argued that Ukraine is therefore not only seeking help from its partners but also offering hard-earned security expertise in return.

Call for a European ballistic missile program

The Ukrainian president also used the Brussels summit to renew his call for a European ballistic missile capability. He said the initiative had come from Ukraine and had now become a joint effort with partners.

Zelenskyy described the issue as urgent, arguing that Europe must develop its own long-range capabilities in response to Russia’s missile and drone attacks. Ukraine has repeatedly said that stronger European defense production is essential for both Ukrainian survival and the continent’s long-term deterrence.

Kyiv has pushed European capitals to invest more quickly in ammunition, air defense, drones and missile systems. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not give up on the ballistic missile initiative despite the difficulties involved.

The proposal comes as EU leaders continue to discuss how to strengthen Europe’s defense industry and reduce dependence on outside suppliers. For Ukraine, the question is immediate: Russian strikes on cities, energy facilities and critical infrastructure remain a central feature of the war.

Hungary’s new leadership changes the tone

Another key issue at the summit was Hungary’s position on Ukraine’s EU path. The meeting was the first major EU summit attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar after the April election.

Zelenskyy said a new opportunity had emerged to strengthen relations within the EU and between the EU and Ukraine. His remarks referred to the end of Viktor Orbán’s long period in power, during which Budapest frequently blocked or delayed EU decisions on Ukraine-related funding, sanctions and enlargement language.

After the summit, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had not compromised its dignity and suggested that Kyiv had moved beyond Orbán’s veto politics. He thanked neighboring countries, including Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, for supporting Ukraine’s European goals.

Still, sensitive issues remain between Kyiv and Budapest, including the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said good-neighborly relations had never been only about words for Ukraine and stressed that Kyiv remained committed to mutual respect.

According to officials familiar with the talks, Zelenskyy and Magyar did not hold a formal bilateral meeting, but they had a short exchange during the summit. Zelenskyy also met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who has voiced concerns about sanctions on Russia that could affect his country.

Putin accused of rejecting real peace

Zelenskyy also used his post-summit message to accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of having no genuine intention of ending the war.

The Ukrainian leader said Putin’s statements about wanting peace were false and that European partners increasingly understood this. Zelenskyy said Kyiv remained ready for negotiations with the Kremlin, but he argued that Moscow did not want serious talks.

He accused Putin of wanting Ukraine to remain “in flames” and said Ukraine’s partners could feel the danger of that approach. Zelenskyy also said no one should expect Putin to leave the Kremlin soon or abandon his wider geopolitical ambitions.

According to Zelenskyy, Putin wants to rebuild a Soviet-style sphere of influence and cannot achieve that goal without Ukraine. Kyiv has long argued that Russia’s war is not only about territory but about Moscow’s attempt to deny Ukraine’s independence and block its European future.

EU support continues, but accession remains complex

European Council President António Costa said after the summit that the EU remained united in supporting Ukraine and that the country was moving forward on accession. EU leaders also reaffirmed their long-term commitment to Ukraine’s defense and security.

However, Ukraine’s path to EU membership remains politically and technically complex. Accession requires reforms, negotiations across multiple policy areas and unanimous support from all EU member states. Even with strong political backing, the process depends on both Kyiv’s reforms and the willingness of EU capitals to keep enlargement high on the agenda.

For Ukraine, the next immediate goal is the opening of all accession clusters. Kyiv sees that step as proof that the EU is ready to match its political statements with concrete action.

The Brussels summit showed that Ukraine’s EU membership bid is now closely tied to Europe’s security debate. Zelenskyy’s message to EU leaders was clear: Ukraine wants to be treated not only as a candidate country, but as a country already defending the future of Europe.

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