On June 25, 2024, negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU were officially begun

This is a landmark event for Ukraine, and we will be closely following the developments. And today we want to share the memories of @martabarandiy the founder of Promote Ukraine, about her personal journey and Ukraine’s path to Europe.

“In this photo, the European Parliament is being built right behind me. The Station Europe building, which is now the Ukrainian civic hub, is still just a model in this photo.

In July 2004, I used to pass by it every day, entering the artificial corridor that led to the main entrance to the EP. And then take the elevator to the 8th floor, where my MEP’s office was located.

Herbert Bösch is an Austrian politician who was a member of the Delegation for Relations with Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus in December 2003 when he received my letter asking for an internship in his office. At that time, I sent a letter to more than 40 MEPs, and received a response only from him. He said that if he won the elections in May 2004, he would hire me for a month. I really wanted him to win, and he did, and he fulfilled his promise.

In 2003, I went to study in Austria for a year under the European Commission’s Tempus/Tacis program, got a scholarship for a year, and upon graduation could do an internship anywhere in the EU. I could only see myself in the European Parliament, and when I “passed,” the European Commission paid for my internship.

This was before Ukraine had even declared its membership ambitions and even before the events of the Orange Revolution, which took place six months after my internship.”

Promote Ukraine Team