Zelensky, EU chief agree to start screening of Ukrainian legislation

KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to start screening of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with European Union laws.

The screening is another step towards the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Ukrainian presidential press service.

Zelensky and von derLeyen, who met on the sidelines of the 54th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, also discussed other key priorities of the EU-Ukraine agenda ahead of the actual opening of the accession negotiations.

They paid particular attention to the issue of unblocking the EU aid package for Ukraine worth 50 billion euros (about $54.4 billion) at an extraordinary session of the European Council on February 1.

Last month, EU leaders agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian government, the country needs to implement 2,739 legal acts on the path towards EU accession.

Zelensky arrived in Switzerland on Monday for a working visit.