EU heads of state and government decided on Thursday in Brussels to start accession negotiations with Ukraine, despite the open resistance of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who ultimately did not use his veto right.
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“This is a victory for Ukraine, for all of Europe, a victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately declared.
“History is written by those who never tire of fighting for freedom,” added the man who, a few hours earlier, had urged the twenty-seven not to miss this crucial meeting.
For the President of the European Council Charles Michel, this decision to start accession negotiations with Ukraine, but also with Moldova, is “a clear signal of hope for the citizens of these countries and for our continent”.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed “a strong sign of support” for Ukraine, offering “a perspective” to this country, which has been at war since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
The decision was made without objection. The Hungarian leader “was not in the room when the text was adopted, it was voted on with him,” a European diplomat who requested anonymity told AFP. “It is a pragmatic solution (…) The political signal has been given,” he continued.
“Viktor Orban expressed his point of view. He does not agree with this decision, but has chosen not to use his veto power,” concluded Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
In a video posted on Facebook, the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized that his country did not want to share responsibility for this “senseless” decision by the 26 other states and had therefore abstained from voting.
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A few hours earlier, Mr Orban had made it clear that he refused to accept the start of negotiations between the EU and Kiev. “There is no reason to discuss anything because the conditions are not met,” he said at the start of the summit.
The Hungarian nationalist leader is still against 50 billion euros in European budget support for Ukraine.
Like millions of Ukrainians, Volodymyr Zelensky waited for an encouraging signal from the Europeans, while the negative signals from Washington multiplied.
Clouds have been gathering over Ukraine for weeks: its military counteroffensive has failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough and Western aid vital to the war effort has been blocked.
At the very moment when the decisive summit in Brussels began, Vladimir Putin showed his confidence in a victory for Moscow. “Our armed forces are improving their positions along virtually the entire line of contact,” the Russian president said.
“If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is a real danger that his aggression will not stop there,” warned Atlantic Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in line with several European leaders.
“Continuing and increasing” aid to Ukraine is an “existential question” for the EU, emphasized the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.
Hungary is demanding that the EU release all funds to which it is entitled but which have been frozen due to violations of the rule of law.
It reached the release of ten billion euros on Wednesday after the European Commission passed a decision that provoked the anger of MEPs. Several of them denounced Brussels' weakness in the face of the “blackmail” of the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu also welcomed the Twenty-Seven's decision.
“It is a victory for all of us (…), a new page in our history. Two years ago, no one could have imagined such a scenario, she reacted on Facebook, while the former Soviet republic has turned decisively towards the EU since its election at the end of 2020.
The EU also decided to grant Georgia candidate country status and to open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina under certain conditions.
Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili immediately welcomed this decision. “This day marks a great milestone for Georgia and our European family,” she said on social networks, judging that the “unwavering will” of the Georgian people had been expressed.