Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted: "Ukraine has officially been granted EU candidate status. It’s a great day for Europe - a historic moment for European unity and the defense of its values."
European Council chief Charles Michel described the decision as "a historic moment" and "a crucial step" on Ukraine's path toward the EU.
"Our future is together," he said in a tweet.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference in Brussels she was convinced that Ukraine "will move as swiftly as possible and work as hard as possible to implement the necessary reforms."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the EU's decision as "a unique and historical moment," tweeting that "Ukraine's future is within the EU."
EU leaders meeting at a summit in Brussels also accepted Moldova as a candidate to join the bloc. Meanwhile, Georgia was given "a European perspective" but told it must fulfill conditions before winning candidate status, the Reuters news agency reported.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters