EU decision to start membership talks with Moldova and Ukraine
According to Politico, the european leaders have approved the opening of accession negotiations for Ukraine.
The announcement comes at a critical time for Ukraine as its counteroffensive against Russia’s invasion stalled in recent weeks and $60 billion in aid from the U.S. is stuck in Congress.
Decision is ‘a clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent,’ European Council President Charles Michel says.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who had vehemently opposed the opening of accession talks for Ukraine, criticized the agreement reached without him by European leaders.
“Hungary does not want to be part of this bad decision!” Orbán said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Orbán left the room when the decision on enlargement was taken, according to a national official and a EU diplomat who were both briefed on the discussion. This allowed for an unanimous decision from the European Council, which another EU official, who like the others was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the circumstances, said was completely legal under EU law.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “This is a truly remarkable result for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe. Another step towards Ukraine's full membership in the EU. I am grateful to everyone who supported us and fulfilled exactly what we had agreed upon. I am grateful to everyone in Ukraine – our team – who did everything necessary. We have fulfilled the recommendations of the European Commission. We have dispelled doubts. Today, there is a decision to open negotiations on accession to the EU. This step will be followed by the next ones. This is a massive job – to integrate the state, all the institutions, all the norms – all of it into the European Union. But we will do it. Ukraine has repeatedly proved what we are capable of. There will be another victorious decision – the time will come when we will be able to celebrate Ukraine's accession to the EU”.
President Maia Sandu urges Moldovan institutions to promote European path to transform country. With the decision by European Union leaders to start official membership negotiations with Moldova, everybody wins, said the country’s president on Friday. "Today's decision to open negotiations for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union is a victory for all of us. The European Union said ‘yes’ to our country, it said ‘yes’ to our European future. It is a new page in our history," said Maia Sandu in a written statement. Sandu urged all institutions, all development partners, and all Moldovan entrepreneurs to talk about European integration, to promote the European path to transform all of Moldova into a European state. "Today's success is the merit of the entire society – of all those who choose democracy and prosperity, who work with perseverance and patience, who went out to vote, protested for freedom, and never stopped believing that Moldova deserves more. We are European and the entire EU recognizes this," said Maia Sandu.
