In a significant development within the European Union, envoys from the EU’s 27 member countries are set to convene on Tuesday to deliberate the potential initiation of membership talks with Ukraine. This meeting is a precursor to the European Union leaders’ summit scheduled for December 14-15, which will play a crucial role in determining the integration prospects for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Bosnia.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has proposed that the summit agree to commence negotiations with Ukraine, potentially in March or once Kyiv fulfills the final conditions. This move represents a significant milestone for Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, which has been valiantly resisting full-scale Russian military aggression for nearly two years.
Tuesday’s meeting will focus on a draft agreement for the summit, which also includes a proposal to extend 50 billion euros ($54.10 billion) in budget support to Kyiv through 2027. While no final decisions are expected during this initial discussion, it will provide insight into the likelihood of the summit greenlighting Ukraine’s EU accession.
The draft agreement, dated December 4 and reviewed by Reuters, states, “The European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova”. For Georgia, it suggests granting EU candidate status contingent upon fulfilling outstanding conditions. As for Bosnia, the draft indicates readiness to begin EU accession negotiations once it achieves the necessary compliance with membership criteria.
However, unanimous backing from all 27 EU countries is required for these decisions. Hungary has expressed strong reservations, with Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs questioning the readiness of Ukraine for accession talks, citing the ongoing war, reliance on foreign financial support, corruption issues, and significant territorial occupation.
In an apparent effort to persuade Budapest to support Ukraine, the Commission recently announced the release of billions in EU aid to Hungary, previously frozen over rule of law concerns. Despite these efforts, including a visit to Budapest by European Council President Charles Michel, there is no immediate indication of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s stance softening on Ukraine, reported Reuters.
Complicating matters further, some EU countries are demanding that the summit also advance the EU prospects of Georgia and Bosnia as a condition for their support for Ukraine, according to sources in Brussels.
This development marks a critical juncture in the EU’s expansion strategy and Ukraine’s European aspirations, amidst a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and internal EU dynamics.
