Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said he discussed joint work on Kyiv's European integration with European Council President Antonio Costa in a phone call. In a statement on the US social media platform X, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Costa for his greetings to Kyiv and the Ukrainian people on the occasion of Europe Day, as well as for the support Europe has provided in the war against Russia.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of defending Ukraine's independence and the right of its people to choose their own path. He highlighted that this effort also defends the right of all European peoples to live as they wish. He firmly stated that Russia would not succeed in breaking or fracturing Europe, noting that many attempts have failed and future ones will also not succeed.

Zelenskyy revealed that he and Costa discussed Ukraine's further European integration, affirming that Ukraine aims to become a full member of the European Union. He mentioned preparations for opening clusters and further decisions, as well as discussions on recent diplomatic steps. Additionally, they talked about an agreement with Russia to conduct a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap mediated by the US.

Europe Day commemorates the Schuman Declaration, named after then-French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, who proposed, on May 9, 1950, the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community to strengthen cooperation and prevent future wars in postwar Europe. The declaration is considered the first step toward the establishment of the European Union, a 27-member bloc that operates as a single market, uses the euro in 21 countries, and maintains visa cooperation through the Schengen Agreement.