Ukraine has officiallyofficially/əˈfɪʃəli/L2正式地；官方地in a way that is done by or with permission from an authority or government started the first phase of membership talks with the European Union. This historichistoric/hɪˈstɒrɪk/L2历史性的；有重大历史意义的very important in history; likely to be remembered for a long time event took place on Monday, June 16, 2026. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the opportunity. He said it sends a clear message: 'Europe’s progressprogress/ˈprəʊɡres/L1进步；进展moving forward or getting better at something cannot be stopped.' The talks are the result of many years of preparation. Ukraine hopes to become a full member in the future.
In addition, the negotiationsnegotiations/nɪˌɡəʊʃiˈeɪʃənz/L2谈判；协商formal discussions between two or more sides to reach an agreement are just the beginning of a long process. Ukraine must meet many requirementsrequirements/rɪˈkwaɪəmənts/L2要求；必要条件things that must be done or achieved in order to be accepted or allowed to become a member. For example, it needs to improve its laws and economy. If the talks go well, Ukraine will join the EU in the future. This is a significant achievement for the country. The first phase includes discussions on basic principles. Both sides will work together to solve problems. Ukraine's leaders are optimisticoptimistic/ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/L2乐观的；积极向上的believing that good things will happen in the future about the outcome. Many European countries support Ukraine's membership. However, some have concerns about the speed of the process. The talks will continue in the coming months.
