THE awarding of candidate status by the EU to Ukraine was “like Christmas”, a Ukrainian MP involved in the talks has said.

Speaking to GB News from Brussels, Kira Rudik said: “Yesterday was really Christmas for my country. We were so absolutely happy that we received their candidacy status.

“I’m absolutely grateful to the leaders of the democratic countries of European countries who all voted in favour of this decision.

“Yesterday, we had a liberal party leaders’ gathering that was led by Emmanuel Macron and at this leaders’ gathering, we are discussing not only the candidates statutes, but also the challenges that European countries are facing and how Ukraine should be a part of the solution for those challenges.”

Ms Rudik said that, despite the distant prospect of Ukraine joining the EU, Ukraine and all European countries are facing an austere autumn due to Russian military aggression.

Speaking to Tom Harwood on GB News, she said: “It will be a very hard autumn, we all understand that, in terms of food security, in terms of energy security, in terms of refugee status, and all in all the military situation in Ukraine,” she said.

“To get ready to tackle all those challenges, we need to work as a team and yesterday Ukraine was announced to be a part of the team and this is incredibly important.

“It was a historic step for my country, but I think it was a historic step for Europe, because instead of saying we are here and Ukraine is separate, we will be helping out now they say we see you as a partner and we are ready to work as a partner. ”

She said Ukraine and its partners were still a long way from solving the issue of the occupation of parts of eastern Ukraine by Russian forces.

Ms Rudik said: “The sanctions that European countries voted for that will decrease their reliance on Russian oil will start working at the end of 2022.

“So we are not even able to talk about when Russia will be taken to the point that they would not be able to continue the invasion.

“That’s why we need to get ready to adapt to the situation as it is and this means more support for Ukraine.”

She said Ukraine needs more weapons if it is to have a chance of halting Russian advances and that promises need to be fulfilled.

“You know, Emanuel Macron yesterday said a very important thing,” she added.

“He said that the world that we used to, it’s gone and we need to adapt to the new one that’s changing rapidly every single day.

“And there are challenges that are not are not being tackled and are being forgotten but they’re still here.

“And this is why we as political leaders of our country, so we need to make sure that we have a plan and not in September the first when all the issues will be already here but right now, when we still hav