EU Decides to Start Membership Negotiations with Ukraine

The European Union (EU) decided on the 14th (local time) to begin negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU.

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, announced through his X account at the EU summit held in Brussels, Belgium, that "the EU Council has decided to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova."

This EU decision follows the recommendation by the European Commission last month to commence negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. As a result, Ukraine has moved closer to EU membership about a year and a half after being granted candidate status in June last year.

In particular, amid the prolonged war and weakening Western solidarity, the EU's decision to start membership negotiations with Ukraine is considered highly significant for Ukraine. The EU, in turn, can establish a foundation to expand its influence in Europe against Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the decision immediately via his X account, calling it "a victory for Ukraine and a victory for all of Europe."

Initially, it was expected that reaching an agreement among member states to start Ukraine's EU accession negotiations would be difficult. Unanimous consent from all 27 member countries is required, and Hungary had expressed opposition several times. It remains unclear whether Hungary withdrew its veto or left the meeting room during the vote.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.