We live in a historic time when our people and state face changes and challenges. For more than three hundred years, russia has made attempts to destroy the Ukrainian nation, halt the development of the Ukrainian sovereign state and Ukraine's advancement to the West. But building of the Ukrainian nation has taken place, the Ukrainian sovereign state exists and will further exist, Ukraine's progress towards joining the West and return to the family of European nations is taking place right now.

Yesterday, the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Romania supported the immediate status of a candidate for EU membership for Ukraine. Today, the European Commission has approved an Opinion on granting us this status. It will be considered by the EU member states at the summit in a week.

The status of a candidate for membership opens for us a very specific roadmap for joining the European Union. It will also accelerate Ukraine's full entry into the EU internal market and the pace of sectoral integration.

In 2021, we told that in 2-3 years Ukraine should sign 5 new visa-free regimes with the European Union. These are agreements in the sectors of energy, customs, transportation, digital market and trade conditions. Now, in fact, we have almost fulfilled all the mentioned 5 visa-free regimes. Some of the documents have already been signed, and some are at the finish line.

Ukraine has received a visa-free regime in the energy domain in March. We disconnected from the energy systems of russia and belarus and became part of the European energy network ENSTO-E. We export electricity to Europe.

The EU has abolished all quotas and duties on exports of Ukrainian products. This is tens of millions of dollars in savings for our business and additional opportunities to enter European markets.

Ukraine has agreed with the EU on visa-free regime, or the Agreement on the liberalization of road transport. This deal will help us to solve the problem of lack of permits for international transportation, which has existed for years. This further removes barriers to trade with EU countries, improves logistics, price and speed of transportation for Ukrainian entrepreneurs. We hope that the issue of visa-free regime in the transport domain will also be finally approved in the near future.

The Government has endorsed and submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill that would allow the final introduction of visa-free regime in the customs sector. We are talking about acceding to the Common Transit Convention. We engage in harmonizing the Customs Code of Ukraine and that of the EU, introducing European rules and services at customs, speeding up the possibility of goods crossing the border for business. Technically, we are prepared for a customs free visa regime to be concluded this summer.

Today on the agenda we have a solution for obtaining a visa-free regime in the digital sector as soon as possible. We will approve a delegation for negotiations between Ukraine and the EU on our participation in the Digital Europe Programme. This is a large-scale project worth EUR 7.5 billion, which finances research and programs in the field of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital skills. Both states and private businesses as well as non-governmental organizations are eligible to receive funding for their projects.

We want to be part of the Digital Europe, which will open up even more opportunities for our country and its citizens to develop and utilize the potential.

I am confident that after obtaining candidate status, we will move just as quickly on other integration projects and reforms. Ukraine has proved that what takes others 2-3 years, we manage to do in a couple of months. Our desire to modernize our native country and be a member of the EU will be a major driver for change. After our victory, we will build a new strong and prosperous Ukraine.

Meanwhile, we are finally severing all ties with russia. In order to counteract unprecedented threats to national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state, the Government today, on the commission of the President of Ukraine, decided to terminate the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the government of the russian federation on visa-free travel.

russian citizens will not be eligible to travel or be admitted to Ukraine without a visa. The Agreement terminates from July 1 this year.

russia's plan to stop our advancement to the West has failed. We still have a difficult path ahead of us and a lot of work, but we know what we are fighting for and who our allies are. And we will definitely win.

Thank you for attention.

Glory to Ukraine!