Russian Bombardments Will Not Stop Ukraine’s EU Path, Kos Says

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos emphasized on October 13 that Russia's relentless bombardments will not deter Ukraine's progress towards joining the European Union. At a press conference following a conference opening two new EU accession negotiation clusters for Ukraine, Kos highlighted the country's determination to continue its integration efforts despite the ongoing Russian attacks.

"Ukraine is facing an extremely difficult situation after more than four years of war. Almost every night, Russia's merciless bombardments claim dozens of innocent lives. From bridges to research centers, Russia has shown its intent to destroy everything in its path," she said. Despite the adversity, Kos praised Ukraine's persistent efforts and strong support from EU member states, noting that no other nation has achieved such a challenging goal.

The European Commissioner outlined the benefits of reforms under two negotiation clusters: the internal market and competitiveness cluster, which will facilitate Ukrainian businesses' trade and expansion across Europe, promote fairer competition, enhance product safety, and strengthen consumer protection, as well as attract investment and create jobs; and the competitiveness and inclusive growth cluster, which aims to build a stronger Ukrainian economy, improve education, strengthen business support, introduce new technologies, and improve working conditions. Kos emphasized that these reforms will ultimately improve people's lives in Ukraine.