BRUSSELS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Ukraine has made "great strides" to join the European Union since being granted candidate status in 2022, but full accession is a merit-based process and hard work lies ahead, the head of the bloc's executive said in her annual speech on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament as the 27-nation bloc starts debating whether to grant Kyiv in December the next milestone on its way towards Western integration - a formal start of membership negotiations. The start of such talks would be a geo-political bargain as Ukraine fights against a Russian invasion.
"We know this is not an easy road," von der Leyen said. "Accession is merit-based... It takes hard work and leadership. But there is already a lot of progress. We have seen the great strides Ukraine has already made since." (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)