Zelensky Hails 'victory' As EU Agrees To Start Accession Negotiations With Ukraine

The moment of celebration turns bittersweet when Hungary makes good on its threat to block financial aid to Kiev.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has celebrated a “victory” for Ukraine and Europe after European Union leaders agreed to start accession negotiations with Kiev. However, the mood soured just hours later after Hungary followed through on its threats and blocked plans to channel key financial aid to Ukraine.

European Council President Charles Michel, host of the summit in Brussels, announced the agreement on accession talks in a social media post on Thursday, calling it “a clear signal of hope for your people and for our continent.”

Zelensky hailed the decision as “a victory for Ukraine.” A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens,” he said in a post on X.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said it was “a strategic decision and a day that will remain etched in the history of our Union.”

“These countries belong to the European family,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The EU also agreed to start talks with Moldova and granted Georgia EU candidate status. Michel said it would also push forward an EU bid from another candidate – Bosnia and Herzegovina – once it had reached “the required level of compliance” with the criteria.

From left: Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob at the EU summit in Brussels [Omar Havana/AP Photo]

Hungary blocks financing

But the mood soured in the early hours of Friday after Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced that he had blocked EU plans to provide 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in financial aid to Kiev as it fights to expel Russian troops from its territory.

For weeks, Orbán had promised to block the accession treaty and funding, which he said were not in the interests of Hungary or the EU.

Although Orban had agreed not to be in the room for the members' vote and to let it pass, they failed to overcome his opposition to the budget proposal presented by Michel.

“We still have some time, Ukraine will not run out of money in the next few weeks,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters as he left the talks. “I’m pretty confident we can get a deal early next year, we’re thinking the end of January.”

Zelensky has enlisted the support of his allies for his country amid concerns that their support could weaken.

Earlier this week he traveled to the United States, where he hoped to persuade Republican lawmakers to approve billions of dollars in new funding that they had blocked in Congress.

US President Joe Biden has warned them not to support the new spending games in Putin's hands.

“United and ready”

Ukraine began its bid to become part of the EU after Moscow began its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and was officially named a candidate country in June of the same year.

The former Soviet republic and neighbor Moldova applied at the same time as Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine has breathed new life into the EU's stalled push to admit new members as the bloc tries to keep the influence of Russia and China in check.

In June 2022, the European Commission set out seven reform goals for Kiev to meet, including fighting corruption and curbing the power of its oligarchs, before talks were due to begin.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said Thursday's EU decision showed it “highly appreciates the reforms we have carried out in recent years and the implementation of all the European Commission's recommendations.”

“A difficult path lies ahead of us. We are united and ready,” he said.

The talks themselves are likely to take years.

EU treaties oblige members to “use all means within their power” to assist another EU country that is the victim of armed aggression on its territory. If Ukraine were to become an EU member during the war with Russia, EU countries would have to respect this.

The EU would also gain a long new border with Russia and Belarus, with implications for security, migration and defense.