European Council President Charles Michel has vowed to support Ukraine and Moldova in their efforts to start EU membership negotiations by the end of the year. He made this commitment to reporters after meeting the Presidents of Ukraine and Moldova in Kyiv on 21 November, Yevropeiska Pravda reported.
He emphasized Ukraine and Moldova’s path to joining the EU was a focus during Tuesday’s discussions. Michel assured Presidents Zelenskyy and Sandu, along with the citizens of Ukraine and Moldova, of his dedication to realizing their ambitions.
Acknowledging the complex and rigorous nature of the accession process, Michel expressed his determination to persuade all 27 EU member states to make a favorable decision by December.
Brussels backs EU membership talks for Ukraine. Here’s what happens next
He outlined three principal arguments to present to the EU leaders: Firstly, initiating negotiations would enhance Europe’s safety and prosperity; secondly, it would demonstrate the EU’s reliability to the people of Ukraine and Moldova; and thirdly, it would send a strong message to the Kremlin and others challenging global stability.
On 8 November, top EU officials recommended that Ukraine be invited to begin membership talks as soon as it meets final conditions, taking Kyiv a step closer to its major strategic goal even amid the ongoing Russia’s invasion.
The upcoming EU summit on December 14-15, with a focus on the bloc’s expansion, is considered important for advancing negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
However, Balazs Orban, Political Director to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said that Hungary will block the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine until Hungarian demands are met regarding language education for minorities.
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