A bid by Ukraine to join the EU could not be finalised for 15 or 20 years," France's minister for European affairs has said.

Speaking on French media, Clement Beaune said: "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. It's probably in 15 or 20 years, it takes a long time."

His comments poured cold water on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's hopes for expedited entry to the bloc in the wake of Russia's invasion.

Beaune repeated French President Emmanuel Macron's offer to create a looser "European political community" that could help integrate Ukraine sooner, adding: "I don't want to offer Ukrainians any illusions or lies".

Zelensky has turned down what he called "such compromises" and insisted on an immediate start of the process towards full EU membership.

Beaune said Macron's proposal is not "an alternative to joining the European political community", emphasising: "It doesn't prevent membership later on."

Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and NATO are seen as the main reason Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion.

Macron's European political community initiative is due to be debated at an EU summit in June.