ANKARA

The European Union will screen Ukrainian legislation as it starts accession talks, the head of the EU Commission said on Wednesday.

Addressing the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen hailed the EU's decision to integrate Ukraine and praised Kyiv's efforts to reform its democratic institutions.

She listed that in a matter of months, Ukraine has passed new laws to expand national minority rights, improve the judicial system, and ensure checks and balances on power.

"In preparation for the accession talks, we're starting the screening process and putting together now the negotiation framework," she said.

She recalled that "the last European Council has shown the political will to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes," and stressed that the EU "must back this decision with adequate funding."

The EU Council paved the way for the expansion of the 27-member bloc in December, announcing the commencement of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.

Russia launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine nearly two years ago to "demilitarize" and "denazify" the former Soviet republic. The West, however, terms it aggression and has supported Kyiv through humanitarian, economic, and military means.