Ukraine complete over 90% of the “necessary steps” for EU membership; warns of fake video of top general urging soldiers to disobey orders

Ukraine membership of the Europian Union received a boost on Wednesday when Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President announced that they recommend starting more detailed discussions.

Von der Leyen met with others on the EU’s executive branch in Brussels and said Ukrainian officials have completed well over 90 percent of the “necessary steps.” She and other EU leaders had insisted last year on measures to address corruption and reform the justice system. They want Ukrainian leaders to limit the power of oligarchs and protect the rights of minorities.

The EU leaders say that membership talks will start once those conditions are met.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the news. He said his people deserve to be in the EU both for their “defense of European values” and for keeping their word “even in times of full-scale war.” He added that he expects to hear a decision from the EU leaders when they meet next month.

The EU also announced its recommendation on membership for Moldova, which neighbors Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is warning that a fake video is circulating on social media showing a military general calling on soldiers to disobey their commanders’ orders.

The government’s Center for Countering Disinformation issued the alert on Wednesday. The center analyzes fake information on social media and other channels.

The video in question is about a minute long.

It appears to show General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is an enemy of the state who intends to hand over the country.

The figure is shown calling on “all Ukrainians to immediately come to the central squares, and on the defenders to disobey the criminal orders of their commanders, immediately deploy their weapons and enter Kyiv.”

The center says Zaluzhnyi did not address or call for a military coup.

It says the video message used “deepfake” technology and was spread by hackers on social media platforms such as TikTok, X and Telegram.

The center warns that the Russian side is trying to sow panic among the Ukraine population and cause a split between the Ukrainian government and the military by spreading false information.