KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky anticipates that the Verkhovna Rada, or parliament, will prioritise European integration bills.

The President's remark came a day after the European Union (EU) decided to grant Ukraine candidate status for accession to the 27-member bloc. On Friday, he said in his regular video message to the nation, "We have a lot of work ahead of us." 

The cohesion of all branches of government and society is the key to our success. Despite the war, we continue to apply EU legislation, standards, and rules in all aspects of our lives. The government will create a plan. Our next steps are clear. We have the recommendations of the European Commission.

"We expect the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada to prioritise European integration bills." High civic consciousness, fidelity to our values, and recognition that no one will build us a European Ukraine except us." Earlier in the day, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna stated that the Verkhovna Rada was preparing to vote on more than 30 bills as part of Kiev's European integration by the end of the year, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.

She also stated that Ukraine plans to implement the European Commission's recommendations on EU candidate status by the end of the year. The European Council accepted Ukraine as a candidate for EU membership on Thursday during a two-day summit in Brussels.

Only four days after Russia invaded Kiev on February 24, Zelensky signed an official appeal to the EU requesting Ukraine's accession through a new special procedure.

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