EU Council President Charles Michel today announced a special EU summit in Brussels for 1 February 2024.
“We have taken a historic decision,” Michel said of the start signal for accession talks with Ukraine given by the EU summit on Thursday. To make important decisions on finance, another summit is needed. The European Commission's proposed increase to the EU's multiannual budget failed due to Hungary's veto.
“We understood that we needed a little more time with Hungary to make a unanimous decision,” Michel said at a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, whose country assumes the rotating presidency of the EU Council on January, 1st.
It's not just about more support for Ukraine, but a “broader package, it's also about more money for migration, European solidarity, defense”.
De Croo added that progress had been made over the past week. However, a decision would have been “impossible” at this time.