Ukraine seeks to join EU within year after start of membership talks: FM

KIEV, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine aims to join the European Union( EU) within a year after the start of the membership talks, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday.

"Our goal is to start EU membership negotiations in 2023. I think it will take about a year for Ukraine to become a full member," Kuleba was quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Ukraine is performing the tasks put forward by the EU for the membership "much faster than anyone expected," the minister stressed.

In June 2022, EU leaders accepted Ukraine as a candidate for membership in the bloc.

The European Commission put forward seven requirements to be fulfilled by Ukraine for starting the accession talks.