Watch as the EU flag arrives at the Ukrainian parliament

euronews.com:

The flag of the European Union was brought to the Ukrainian parliament on Friday morning, a week after EU leaders decided to grant Ukraine the status of candidate country to join the bloc.

As the blue flag of 12 gold stars entered the chamber, lawmakers stood up, clapped and took pictures, celebrating the symbolic and highly emotional moment for the war-torn country.

The special parliamentary session featured interventions from Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"A new history of Ukraine and the European Union has begun. We are now not next to each other, but together. Not two neighbours between which there are borders and barriers, but one European family that has common values and a common destiny," Zelenskyy said.

"Gaining membership in the European Union is not only geopolitics or the realisation of political aspirations. These are specific things, specific advantages that benefit the life of every person, every company, every state institution."

Zelenskyy recounted the flurry of negotiations, meetings and phone calls that took place in the 115 days between the submission of the EU application, launched just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, and the final endorsement at last week's European Council.

The president also said the presence of the EU flag in the parliament should not be only "a beautiful gesture" but also a reminder of the task that lies ahead for "all branches of government."

The European Commission has put forward seven key reforms that Ukraine needs to carry out before the end of the year. The list includes the appointment of judges for the Constitutional Court, the fight against corruption and money laundering, the protection of national