Ukraine submits updated bid for OECD membership, Zelenskiy says

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Ukraine has submitted a revised application to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as Kyiv continues its push for deeper integration with Western institutions.

Ukraine has been working with the OECD for several years on governance reforms and alignment with international standards. The country is now seeking candidate-country status, which would mark an important step toward full membership in the organization.

Following a meeting in Kyiv with OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, Zelenskiy said in a Telegram post that Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko had formally submitted the updated application.

“We hope to obtain candidate country status as early as this autumn. The next stage will be a roadmap toward OECD membership. We discussed this during our meeting,” Zelenskiy said.

Ukraine, which remains in a full-scale war with Russia following Moscow’s 2022 invasion, has been accelerating efforts toward European and Western integration, which Kyiv views as a key long-term security guarantee for both Ukraine and the wider region.

Zelenskiy also reiterated last week Ukraine’s goal of fast-tracking European Union membership talks, emphasizing continued reform efforts and alignment with EU standards.

According to a separate statement from the presidential office, Ukraine hopes to open remaining negotiating clusters with the European Union by July 15, coinciding with the country’s Statehood Day.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he saw no basis for direct talks with Zelenskiy, citing ongoing Ukrainian strikes on civilian targets. -Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani/Reuters