Putin's firebrand mocks, then warns Zelensky to stop pretending Ukraine is ready for EU membership

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed Ukraine’s EU membership prospects as “hopeless,” accusing Kyiv of failing to meet the bloc’s accession requirements and labeling the enlargement process a “charade.” While the latest European Commission Enlargement Report highlights Ukraine’s “remarkable commitment” and progress on reforms, it also stresses that Kyiv must urgently accelerate anti-corruption measures, judicial independence, and rule of law improvements to proceed further in the accession process. Despite Ukraine’s progress, full membership remains a long-term goal, with significant reforms and unanimous EU backing required.