Ukraine to Apply to EU in 2020

Speaking to a group of Ukrainian judges on Thursday, President Petro Poroshenko said he plans to apply for European Union membership in six years. The application would come after a series of economic and political reforms that are part of his Strategy 2020 plan. The move, which would signal a complete rejection of Russian influence, comes after Ukraine and the EU already ratified an economic association agreement. “I will present my vision of Ukraine’s development, our strategy for the period up to 2020. [The strategy] provides for 60 separate reforms and special programs, which will prepare Ukraine for applying for membership in the European Union in six years’ time,” Poroshenko said.