EU agrees to open membership negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova
Newsy
The stunning decision was announced at a summit of the leaders of the 27 European Union countries.
The European Union decided Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, a stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the necessary backing for its membership aspirations and long faced obstinate opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
European Council President Charles Michel, who was chairing a Brussels summit of the EU's 27 leaders where the decision was made, called it "a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent."
Although the process between opening negotiations and Ukraine finally becoming a member could take many years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement as "a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe."
"History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom," Zelenskyy said.
Orban said his opposition remained steadfast, but, with a unanimous decision required, he decided to let his right to oppose lapse because the 26 others were arguing so strongly in favor. An abstention from him was not enough to stop the decision from being adopted.
