BRUSSELS, June 25. /TASS/. Ukraine started long talks to join the European Union as the sides opened the first meeting of the EU-Ukraine Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg.

EU accession talks have no deadlines. European Council President Charles Michel, who earlier proposed to give a symbolic promise to Kiev that it would join the EU at least by 2030, said that a long and hard process was ahead.

"This is the beginning of a long process. While today we celebrate a significant step forward, we must also recognize that the road ahead will require sustained effort, dedication, and further substantial reforms. Ukraine and Moldova will need to continue their work to strengthen institutions, continue combatting corruption, and enhance economic stability to meet the rigorous standards of full EU membership," he said.

Turkey has set a record in terms of the duration of EU accession talks, as it has been conducting them for 19 years but still has no prospect of completing them successfully.