Zelensky about Candidate Status: We Are Not a Third Country, We Are a Future EU Member

Ukraine is no longer a third country, as interpreted by official terminology. We got rid of this meaning and became a future EU member. "It is officially recognized that Ukraine is not a bridge, nor a pillow between the West and Russia, not a buffer between Europe and Asia, not a sphere of influence, not a "gray" zone, not a transit territory. Ukraine is a future equal partner for at least 27 EU countries," Zelensky said, rbc.ua reports. The head of state stressed that candidate status is a serious step in relations between Ukraine and the EU. "It's not just friendship and sympathy, but a firm and official intention to become one in the future. In the near future," Zelensky noted. He pointed out that Ukraine would be able to be involved in the work of certain bodies and new EU programs, for which third countries have limited access. "We got rid of this derogatory definition. Ukraine has never been such in essence, but the official terminology used to call us like that. We got rid of it. We are not the third country, not the tenth, not the hundredth, we are a future member of the EU," Zelensky concluded. Point