Subscribe here: https://bit.ly/eudebates A beaming Michel came down in the summit media room unscheduled and said “This is a historic moment, and it shows the credibility of the European Union. The strength of the European Union. The decision is made.”
The President of the European Council has announced that the EU will start accession negotiations with Ukraine.
In a message posted on X, Charles Michel said: "The European Council has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine & Moldova.
"#EUCO granted candidate status to Georgia. And the EU will open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached and has invited the commission to report by March with a view to taking such a decision.
"A clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent."
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban was reportedly absent from the room during the vote.
The 27 leaders of the European Union decided on Thursday to begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
During a high-stakes summit in Brussels, heads of state and government also granted Georgia the status of candidate country, having previously been denied such title.
"It's a very powerful political signal, it's a very powerful political decision," Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, told reporters.
"And today and tonight I think, to the people of Ukraine, we are on their side and this decision made by member states is extremely important for the credibility of the European Union."
"It was important that no member state would oppose the decision and this is why we were in a position to make this announcement tonight," Michel added.
The approval represents a geopolitical victory for Kyiv, which is struggling to make inroads in its grueling counteroffensive against the invading Russian troops.
Additionally, the EU will open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina "once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached." The European Commission will have to report by March on the progress made by the Balkan country to decide the next steps.
Thursday's breakthrough, achieved during a summit of leaders in Brussels, came amid Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's veto threats and antagonistic rhetoric.
In the days leading up to the meeting, Orbán has questioned Ukraine's readiness to start negotiations and the Commission's credibility as an impartial arbiter. After being declared a candidate country in July last year, Ukraine was given seven reforms as a precondition to start the talks. Brussels has said the work is not yet complete but is sufficient to take the process to the next stage, something the Hungarian premier had challenged.
In a short video posted on his Facebook account right after the decision was taken, Orbán doubled down on his antagonistic rhetoric but admitted to having abstained in the crucial vote. An EU official confirmed that the prime minister "was momentarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner" when the vote took place.
"Hungary's position is clear: Ukraine is not ready to start negotiations on EU membership. It is a completely pointless, irrational and wrong decision to open negotiations with Ukraine under these circumstances, and Hungary is not changing its position," Orbán said in the video.
The news from Brussels quickly prompted a succession of social media posts celebrating what many leaders described as a "historic day."
"This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires, and strengthens," wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who delivered a video message during the summit urging leaders to make a positive decision.
"History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom," he added.
"Moldova turns a new page today with the EU's go-ahead for accession talks. We're feeling Europe's warm embrace today. Thank you for your support and faith in our journey," said Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
"We're committed to the hard work needed to become an EU member. Moldova is ready to rise to the challenge," she added.
Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission and one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters, hailed "a strategic decision and a day that will remain engraved" in the bloc's history. "Proud that we have lived up to our promises and delighted for our partners," von der Leyen said.
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