Accession talks failure ‘will make Putin smile’, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy warns EU leaders

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders at their summit on Thursday (14 December) to open membership talks with his country, warning that a failure on the matter would result in a “satisfied smile” for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Connecting with EU leaders in Brussels via video link, Zelenskyy told EU leaders that things would be determined “either in Brussels or Moscow” and reminded them about “a decision that was promised”, stressing that Ukraine had met EU conditions on reforms to be granted membership talks.

“Last year, Ukraine received clear recommendations on how to move forward. We have passed the key laws. You all – and I emphasise: all – know well that we fulfilled every obligation,” Ukraine’s president said, according to the text of his speech.

“And there was a clear schedule for the EU – today is a day for a political decision in response to what we’ve accomplished. It’s about opening accession negotiations with Ukraine. And in March next year – approving the negotiation framework for moving forward,” he added.

Zelenskyy said this decision “isn’t about what politicians need, it’s about what people need,” both those fighting in Ukraine and those in Europe “who believe that Europe can avoid falling back into old times of endless fruitless disagreements between capitals”.

“I ask you one thing today – do not betray the people and their faith in Europe.”

In a reference to the history of the conflict, he said: “Ten years ago, in Ukraine, people rose up under the flags of the European Union. It was a symbol of truth for them, and it should remain so.”

“People in Europe won’t understand if Putin’s satisfied smile becomes the reward for a meeting in Brussels,” he added.

In its recommendation, the European Commission formally told EU leaders in November that Ukraine is making good progress in enacting the necessary judicial reforms to meet EU standards and should open membership talks.

Most of the 27 EU leaders want this week’s summit to approve the step, in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine 22 months after Russia launched an all-out invasion of the country.

Only Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has firmly spoken out against giving Ukraine the green light for accession talks.

EU leaders face tough talks as Hungary digs in on rejecting Ukraine support

The EU’s common budget should not fund Ukraine, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said upon arriving in Brussels for a crucial summit on Thursday (14 December), as EU leaders are scrambling to boost their long-term support for Kyiv.

However, some other EU leaders have said they are reluctant about opening enlargement talks with Ukraine, one senior EU diplomat said, naming Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, and Italy as having voiced certain reservations.

Ultimately, however, the understanding is that most of them would leaning in favour of a positive outcome, especially in order not to harm the bloc’s enlargement process as a whole in case of indecision.

But as such decisions require unanimity, the EU will not be able to give Ukraine the go-ahead without Orbán’s approval.

“It’s very important that Europe doesn’t fall back into indecision today. Nobody wants Europe to be seen as untrustworthy. Or as unable to take decisions it prepared itself,” Zelenskyy said.

“Today is a special day, and this day will go down in our history. Whether it’s good or bad for us, history will capture everything. Every word, every step, every action and inaction. Who fought for what.”

Initially, there had been speculation that Zelenskyy might join the EU summit in person, being on a visit to Norway only a few flight hours away from Brussels.

According to people with knowledge of the matter, that plan was shelved as the summit outcome of Ukraine’s EU accession talks remains unclear.

Some EU diplomats have also questioned whether his physical presence at the summit would have been counterproductive or risked being perceived as a form of pressure on Budapest.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

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EU leaders face tough talks as Hungary digs in on rejecting Ukraine support

The EU's common budget should not fund Ukraine, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said upon arriving in Brussels for a crucial summit on Thursday (14 December), as EU leaders are scrambling to boost their long-term support for Kyiv.