Surprise breakthrough on enlargement in the European Council. EU leaders, President Charles Michel informs via social media, have “decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. The Council has granted candidate status to Georgia. The EU will open negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina. Herzegovina once the necessary level of compliance with the criteria has been achieved and invites the Commission to report by March, with a view to taking this decision”, i.e. to open negotiations also with Sarajevo.
This is “a clear sign of hope for those peoples and for our continent”. In the Council chamber, an EU source reports, “no one objected” to these decisions.
“Victory for Ukraine. The victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens”, writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Twitter, commenting on the green light from the European Council.
#turning #point #negotiations #Ukraine