Zelenskyy appeals to Council of Europe: Determination will be either in Brussels or in Moscow
On the morning of December 14, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at a meeting of the European Council on Video Communication. He told the EU leaders that today "the determination will be either in Brussels or in Moscow" and reminded them of "the decision that was promised", reports Politico.
According to the publication, the president said that Kyiv hopes to receive more European money at the leaders' summit, as well as political commitment to open accession talks with Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said that this decision "isn’t about what politicians need, it’s about what people need," both those fighting in Ukraine and those in Europe "who believe that Europe can avoid falling back into old times of endless fruitless disagreements between capitals".
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In addition, Zelenskyy also reminded EU leaders about the history of the war in Ukraine, the journalists wrote.
"10 years ago in Ukraine, people rose up under the flags of the European Union … I ask you one thing today — do not betray the people and their faith in Europe," Zelenskyy is quoted as saying in Politico.
Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, continues to stand its ground – Budapest declares that it will not allow Ukraine's European integration, as it allegedly did not fulfill the requirements of the European Commission and "oppresses" the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia. Periodically, Hungary invents new reasons for "why".
A few days ago, before the meeting of European leaders, key Ukrainian ministers – Dmytro Kuleba and Rustem Umyerov – held talks with their Hungarian counterparts, and President Zelenskyy managed to talk with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the inauguration of the new president of Argentina.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg stated that the Alliance will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, despite Hungary's position.
On December 13, Zelenskyy noted that the EU summit will be "very difficult", but Ukraine is "very satisfied that all countries support the decision regarding its future membership".
Read also: Slovakia's PM Fico casts doubt on Ukraine's EU readiness, stops short of blocking talks