An unprecedented maneuver negotiated with the utmost secrecy, the “constructive abstention” of one of its members, allowed the European Council yesterday to avoid Hungary’s announced veto and take in record time a historic decision, the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova barely 18 months after recognizing them as candidate countries.
At the behest of the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, Viktor Orbán left the European Council room “momentarily” to allow the rest of the European leaders to support Brussels’ recommendation to start accession talks with the two countries. Article 235 of the Treaty of Lisbon establishes this possibility to be able to adopt decisions by consensus, but the news caused general surprise on the first day of a summit that had begun surrounded by dark omens, since the Hungarian leader not only threatened to veto the green light in Kyiv, but also the approval of macro-financial aid of 50 billion euros to ensure the functioning of his administration in 2024.
Orbán reiterated that the decision still seems like a “bad idea” to him, but the unexpected white smoke caused expressions of joy in Brussels, Ukraine, Moldova and the rest of the countries that saw their European aspirations recognized last night . The Twenty-seven (even though only 26 leaders agreed) also agreed to reassess Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress in March in order to start accession talks as soon as possible and to grant, despite the disconnection and geographical distance, the ‘candidate status in Georgia.
“The EU has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, a clear sign of hope for their peoples and for our continent”, the president of the European Council announced by surprise eight hours after the start of the summit, CharlesMichel, who worked in coordination with Scholz to bring about the happy outcome. “This decision is extremely important for the credibility of the EU”, he emphasized.
“It is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens”, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, immediately congratulated himself on social networks, who a few hours earlier had delivered an impassioned speech by video conference at the Twenty-Seven in which he emphasized the historical relevance of the decisions they are called to make during the last meeting of the year. “The Europeans would not understand that the result of the Brussels summit was a smile of satisfaction from Vladimir Putin”, he said.
“Don’t give him a victory, it would be the first of the year”, the Ukrainian president pleaded with the EU, who has just left empty-handed from Washington, where he has unsuccessfully tried to convince Congress because unlock $60 billion in military aid. With the front virtually motionless, international money blocked and Putin resisting the wear and tear of war, the European decision gives hope to resist the country, which sees the arrival of financial and military aid slow, that the war encyst and that other foci of tension arise that distract him.
“It is an honor to share the EU accession path with Ukraine and President Zelenski, we would not be here without the brave resistance of Ukraine to the brutal invasion of Russia”, celebrated the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu. “We have kept our promises, we have made history. Now, let’s write the future together”, tweeted the president of the Eurochamber, Roberta Metsola.
The decision to open accession negotiations with the two countries will not materialize until March, when the European Commission will verify that Kyiv has completed the last pending reforms and the Twenty-seven will have to approve – again, unanimously – the negotiating mandate that will lead the process, full of moments when the member states will be able to slow it down if they consider that Kyiv is not moving in the right direction. Yesterday, however, it was time to move on. The EU was called upon to honor the promises to Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian people and found a way to give the longed-for green light.
