There was an unprecedented level of support for opening EU membership talks with Ukraine at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. The majority of member states want to take a decision to open negotiations.
However, the decision has not yet been made, and the struggle for it will continue not only in the coming days but also during the European Council meeting, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said following the meeting.
In their speeches, the EU members stressed that this decision should be made not for the sake of Ukraine, but for the sake of the EU itself and its security.
"And that if such a decision is not made, it will be a blow to the EU," Kuleba said.
The minister believes that the decision to start negotiations with Ukraine on EU accession will happen anyway, it is only a matter of time and price. He added that he would have a bilateral meeting with his Hungarian counterpart. Budapest, as you know, is seen as a major obstacle.
More on the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine
- On 8 November, the European Commission officially recommended the start of negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union. The European Commission said that Ukraine had completed 90% of the necessary reforms, but that it needed to continue fighting corruption, reduce the influence of oligarchs and work on a law on national minorities.
- This week, the European Council is expected to make a political decision to start negotiations.
- Hungary is seen as the main obstacle, whose prime minister has said several times that he is against starting talks on Ukraine's accession now. The decision to start negotiations requires the consent of all 27 member states.
- Ukraine has passed three of the four laws required by the EU, including the one on minorities, which Hungary has been particularly vocal about.
- Ukraine's president met with Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, who opposes the start of negotiations.