The European Union agreed on Thursday to open membership talks with Ukraine, an important sign of support at a time when progress on the battlefield has stalled and the US commitment to continue providing financial support to Ukraine has become questionable.
Membership in the European Union is still a long way off, but this is still a historic moment for Ukraine, which has been trying for years to join the bloc – to get closer to its allies in Europe, strengthen the economy and give its citizens the right to live, work and travel freely in the Old the continent, it beeps The Washington Post, transmits Stav.ba.
“History is made by those who do not tire of the fight for freedom,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a celebratory post on the X social network. European Council President Charles Michel called the decision “a very powerful political signal.”
However, after hours of deliberation, EU leaders failed to agree on a roughly $50 billion fund for Ukraine, bringing divisions within the 27-nation bloc back to the fore and reiterating the question of whether allies will really stand by Kiev “as long as it takes.” “.
The deal on membership talks came after weeks of resistance from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintains friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has blocked EU decisions unfavorable to Moscow.
“Orbán appears to be emboldened by the political deadlock over continued funding for Ukraine in Washington and the failed Ukrainian counteroffensive,” wrote Alyssa de Carbonnel, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia program at the International Crisis Group.
Ahead of the summit, the European Commission announced it was releasing more than $10 billion for Hungary that it had frozen in a new attempt to force member states to adhere to democratic principles. The commission announced on Wednesday that Hungary has now fulfilled the conditions related to the independence of the judiciary.
Some believe that the “timing” itself was a coincidence, while others saw it as giving in to blackmail. In an interview with Bloomberg News this week, Orbán’s top political adviser suggested that Hungary is indeed negotiating and that unblocking more money could prompt Hungary to change its stance on Ukraine.
In the end, Hungary did not stand in the way of Ukraine’s membership decision, which required unanimity. Orbán left the room, leaving the decision to the other 26 leaders. He wanted to avoid participating in a “completely senseless, irrational and wrong decision,” he said in a video posted on X. “Hungary does not want to participate in this bad decision, and for that reason, Hungary did not participate in the decision today,” he said. he. Orban later announced that he had vetoed more money for Ukraine.
The leaders also agreed Thursday to open accession talks with Moldova, Ukraine’s neighbor that has similarly sought to strengthen ties with the bloc as it comes under pressure from Russia.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian officials and diplomats have been desperately trying to gain support in both the United States and Europe. A delegation of senior Ukrainian officials visited Washington this week to ask lawmakers there for more funding, but to no avail as Senate Republicans once again blocked the proposed aid package.
