EU to launch membership talks with Ukraine in shock win for Zelensky

Such an uncommon strategy to approve a call – particularly such a significant one – is exceptional in Brussels, even for a spot the place diplomats have lengthy been very artistic about easy methods to strike offers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the choice.

“This can be a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, evokes, and strengthens,” he stated.

Ukraine badly wants help from its Western allies in its practically two-year combat towards Russia’s invasion. Its counteroffensive has didn’t make main features and the Biden administration has thus far been unable to get a US$60 billion help package deal for Ukraine by way of the US Congress.

European Fee chief Ursula von der Leyen stated it was “a strategic determination and a day that can stay engraved within the historical past of our union”.

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Orban had very totally different phrases to explain the choice.

“Hungary’s stance is evident, Ukraine shouldn’t be ready for us to begin talks on EU membership,” he stated, calling the choice to begin talks “irrational” and “inappropriate”.

“However 26 member states have been adamant that this determination have to be made so Hungary determined that if 26 determine so, they need to go on their very own path and Hungary doesn’t want to take part on this dangerous determination,” he stated.

The talks themselves are more likely to take years.

Ukraine, which has a inhabitants of 44 million and is geographically larger than any EU member, presents some distinctive challenges for admission to the 27-member bloc.

In intense diplomacy on the matter, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met Orban earlier than the summit, alongside von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

The European Fee on Wednesday restored Hungary’s entry to as much as €10.2 billion (US$11 billion) in refunds for financial initiatives after discovering it had fulfilled situations on the independence of its judiciary.

Talks will proceed on the summit on the bloc’s multiannual price range framework.

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Michel stated the European Council had additionally selected Thursday to open accession negotiations with Moldova.

He went on to say the summit granted EU candidate standing to Georgia and would additionally advance an EU bid by one other hopeful – Bosnia – as soon as it reaches “the required diploma of compliance” with standards.

Earlier within the day because the 27 EU leaders gathered for his or her final summit of the 12 months, Orban insisted that the EU shouldn’t begin membership talks with Ukraine. He was a lone holdout on the summit.

Different EU leaders had warned that not agreeing to begin negotiations would have been seen as a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.