Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a letter to European Union leaders on May 23, stating that it is the right time to begin Ukraine's EU accession process. He described the proposal for associate membership as 'unfair' because it would leave Kyiv 'without a voice' in decision-making.
The move comes after last month's parliamentary election in Hungary, where former Prime Minister Viktor Orban – who repeatedly used his veto power to block Ukraine's EU accession and hinder aid packages – was ousted.
Alongside diplomatic efforts, fierce fighting continues. On the same day, Russian forces in the Moscow-controlled Luhansk region said the death toll from a drone attack on a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk had risen to 10, with 48 wounded and 11 missing. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military to retaliate. The United Nations expressed concern but could not verify the information. Kyiv denied attacking the dormitory, saying it targeted an elite Russian drone unit in the area and acted in compliance with international humanitarian law.
For his part, President Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces had struck a major chemical plant (Metafrax Chemical) in Russia's Perm region, 1,700 kilometers from the border. He said the plant supplied materials for multiple other Russian military production facilities and its operations had been suspended. Ukraine also attacked an oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl; at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, falling drone debris sparked a fire at an oil terminal, injuring at least two people.
On the social media platform X, President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had recaptured nearly 600 square kilometers of territory since the start of the year, arguing that these advances forced Moscow to engage in negotiations. He cited figures of approximately 86,000 Russian soldiers killed, 59,000 seriously wounded, and 800 taken prisoner since the beginning of 2025. Kyiv believes Russia may be preparing a fresh offensive in the coming months as it regroups forces along the front line.
