Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
The EU’s enlargement chief said on Wednesday she is confident Hungary Ukraine’s path to membership would not be derailed, which he described as “inevitable”.
“I’m not worried,” Commissioner Marta curse He told reporters while visiting a thermal power plant in western Ukraine, which was badly damaged by Russia’s campaign against civilian infrastructure. “If there were real concerns I would be concerned.”
“On Ukraine’s EU membership – which is inevitable – I see it as a political basis for security guarantees,” she said, adding, “There has never been a war on EU territory.”
Ukraine hopes to join the bloc by the end of the decade and is disappointed that its path to NATO membership looks uncertain.
Kyiv Applied for EU membership in 2022 immediately after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Now, Commissioner Kos is calling an informal meeting of European affairs ministers on Thursday to prepare for the next phase of accession negotiations.
Kos hinted that the process could move even faster, saying, “The sooner the necessary reforms are made, the faster the process can go.”
Prime Minister of Hungary viktor orban Has opposed starting membership negotiations while the war continues. Nevertheless, Kos dismissed their objections, saying “We do not need Orbán to make the reforms that are necessary for Ukraine to become an EU member.”
The Slovenian diplomat visited a heavily damaged power plant, where heavy machinery was blackened, control panels were melted and a large hole was left in the roof of one of the main buildings.
Andrey, a turbine operator on duty during a recent attack, described the chaos that followed.
“The first thing you feel is a massive rush of adrenaline. There’s heavy smoke, loud noises, pressure – you can’t hear your colleagues,” he said. “Damaged equipment means escaping steam and high-temperature feed water. It is very difficult to orient yourself in the smoke at first.”
Company officials asked that the location of the plant and the full names of employees not be published for security reasons.
The thermal power plant is one of six operated by private utility DTEK, which has suffered major damage from persistent Russian drone and missile attacks in recent weeks.
Kos praised the resilience of electricians and the Ukrainian people in general.
“I know there is no other country in the world more resistant than the Ukrainians,” she said, recalling Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hopes for a quick victory. “Putin said it would take a week. But here we are and it’s been almost four years, so you’re already a winner.”
,
Andrey Popovich contributed.
