Shmygal sees the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU within two years.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said this in an interview with Politico.
We have a very ambitious plan to join the European Union within the next two years. So we expect that this year, in 2023, we can already hold this pre-accession negotiation stage.
This slightly contradicts the vision of EU leaders themselves, who believe that the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU is a much longer term prospect.
French President Emmanuel Macron, for example, said last year that it could be "decades" before Ukraine joins.
This Friday there will be a summit devoted precisely to Ukraine's accession to the EU. Shmygal hopes that a significant leap can be achieved there.
Artur Zayonts specialises in news from the frontline. A historian by education, Arthur has always sought to bring depth and context to his journalistic work.