EU members vote unanimously to begin membership process for Ukraine
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In a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, European Union leaders voted to “open accession negotiations with Ukraine & Moldova,” according to president of the European Council, Charles Michel, on X.
Hungary has had a strained relationship with Ukraine, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán originally said he would veto the vote, per The New York Times. Orbán has reportedly had a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Politico reported.
Orbán walked out of the room before the vote Thursday in a “pre-agreed and constructive manner,” while the remaining 26 leaders voted unanimously to let talks begin, according to BBC.
Later in an X post, Orbán said, “It is a completely senseless, irrational and incorrect decision to start negotiations with Ukraine under these circumstances, and Hungary will not change its position.”
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X, “The #EUCO decision to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been adopted. I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day. I also congratulate Moldova and personally @SanduMaiamd.”
The president added, “History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom.”
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Ukraine’s accession into the European Union has been expedited compared to other countries. It applied for EU membership shortly after Russia invaded in Feb. 2022.
Croatia, the most recent addition to the EU, waited 10 years to join the union. The country applied for EU membership in 2003, negotiated with the union from 2005 to 2011, and became the newest member on July 1, 2013, according to the European Commission.
The vote to begin accession talks doesn’t guarantee Ukraine EU membership, BBC explained. However, it may send a message to Russia and others that Ukraine’s alliances are strong in Europe.
Although Biden’s $60 billion funding request to Ukraine met opposition during Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington D.C. earlier this week, the EU will likely pass 50 billion euros in funding to Ukraine, EU Budget Commission Johannes Hahn said, per Reuters.
