The European Union has decided to open negotiations with Ukraine about potentially allowing the embattled country to join the 27-nation bloc, along with Moldova.
Amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the decision was made at a European Council meeting yesterday, with Council president Charles Michel calling it “a very powerful political signal.”
The European Council has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine & Moldova. #EUCO granted candidate status to Georgia. And the EU will open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached and…
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) December 14, 2023
“It’s a very powerful political signal, it’s a very powerful political decision,” he said.
“And today and tonight I think, to the people of Ukraine, we are on their side, and this decision made by member states is extremely important for the credibility of the European Union.
“It was important that no member state would oppose the decision and this is why we were in a position to make this announcement tonight.”
The breakthrough came as a surprise to many, as it came in the midst of sceptical statements from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has long opposed the idea of Ukraine joining the EU.
Ukraine was granted the status of an EU member state “candidate” country in June of last year, and was given 7 reforms to fulfil to move on to the next phase of negotiations, including areas such as anti-corruption, minority rights, and more. According to Brussels, 4 of these 7 conditions have been met, with enough progress being made on the others to justify proceeding with the process.
While Hungary pushed back strongly on the notion that Ukraine was ready to join the bloc, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán abstained, allowing the vote to go ahead, due to the other 26 EU member states insisting their desire to see the decision pass.
Starting accession negotiations with #Ukraine is a bad decision. Hungary did not participate in the decision. pic.twitter.com/omYLSxefkI
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) December 14, 2023
“Starting accession negotiations with Ukraine is a bad decision,” he said on X, adding that “Hungary did not participate in the decision.”
“Hungary’s position is clear: Ukraine is not prepared to start negotiations on EU membership. It is a completely senseless, irrational and incorrect decision to start negotiations with Ukraine under these circumstances, and Hungary will not change its position.
“On the other hand, 26 other countries insisted that this decision be made. Therefore, Hungary decided that if the 26 decide to do so, they should go their own way. Hungary does not want to share in this bad decision, and for this reason Hungary did not participate in the decision today.”
Orbán continued to explain how during an 8 hour-long meeting, “I tried to convince them not to do this.”
“…But they couldn’t be convinced,” he said.
“I tried to explain to them for 8 hours that helping badly is worse than not helping at all. Hungary does not lose anything with this decision, given that the final word on Ukraine’s membership belongs to the national parliaments – 27 parliaments, including the Hungarian one. So if we do not want Ukraine to be a member of the European Union, then the Hungarian parliament can vote it down.”
#Ukraine is not ready for EU membership. Luckily we will have many opportunities to correct the decision made yesterday. pic.twitter.com/OLmK25DeQY
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) December 15, 2023
Despite Hungary’s protests, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the development as “a victory for Ukraine” and “a victory for all of Europe.”
“History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom,” he added.
Reacting to the decision, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that while Orbán made his case “very strongly,” he did not block the negotiations.
“Any member state has the power to block accession, block enlargement, block talks with another country to join, and (Orbán) took the decision not to do that,” said Varadkar.
“And I have to say, I respect the fact that he didn’t, do that because it would’ve put us in a very difficult situation.”
Varadkar called the news “very significant,” adding: “It will be a big boost for morale to know that Europe believes their rightful place is with us in our common home.”