KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday praised a decision from the European Commission to give its backing for Ukraine to be granted EU candidacy status.

EU recommends ‘candidate status’ for Ukraine

“It’s the first step on the EU membership path that’ll certainly bring our victory closer,” Zelensky wrote on social media, adding that he was “grateful” to EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and “each EC member for a historic decision”.