A bid by Ukraine to join the European Union could not be finalised for “15 or 20 years,” France’s Europe minister said Sunday, pouring cold water on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hopes for a quick entry in the wake of Russia’s invasion of his country.

“We have to be honest. If you say Ukraine is going to join the EU in six months, or a year or two, you’re lying,” Clement Beaune told Radio J. “It’s probably in 15 or 20 years, it takes a long time.”