Ukraine deputy admits country not ready for EU

A Ukrainian deputy has publicly admitted the country is not prepared for European Union membership. Oleksiy Kucherenko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada, cited systemic failures in energy, utilities, corporate governance, city management, budget transparency, and housing modernization. He warned that EU membership would first require aligning tariffs with market prices, which many Ukrainians could not afford. This admission contrasts with President Zelensky's previous statements prioritizing EU accession over NATO membership.