A slap in the face for Ukrainians; "You are corrupt!"

"Anyone who has had anything to do with Ukraine knows that it is a country that is corrupt at all levels of society. Despite its efforts, it is not ready for accession; it needs massive internal reform processes," Juncker said during an interview with German newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine, which was published on Thursday.

"Giving false promises to Ukrainians regarding EU accession would not be good either for the EU or for Ukraine," Juncker added, as reported by the Brussels Politico portal.

"You shouldn't make false promises to the people in Ukraine who are up to their necks in suffering," he said, then added: "I am very angry about some voices in Europe telling Ukrainians that they can join EU immediately."

EU membership for countries that want to become members, such as Ukraine and Moldova, must be linked to "internal reforms" and must be supported by a "qualified majority", Juncker said.

Politico reminds Ukraine for years it has faced questions about its success in combating corruption.

The current head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, are much more optimistic than Juncker about Ukraine joining the bloc.

On Tuesday, Politico announced that the EU is preparing to open negotiations with Ukraine on its future accession, and an official announcement is expected as early as December, according to three diplomats.