Written by Arno Van Rensbergen• December 15, 2023• 6:08 am• Politics
European leaders gave the green light for negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on EU membership. The decision came unexpectedly yesterday because Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had threatened to veto the move in the run-up to the European summit.
During the meeting with his EU colleagues, Orbán was put under great pressure. According to those closely involved, “very harsh words were spoken”, especially by the Baltic and Czech prime ministers. They accused their Hungarian counterparts that Russia would win if he voted no.
Ultimately, Orbán relented and did not object to the start of negotiations. He was not in the meeting room when the decision was made, at the request of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Diplomats spoke of an “unprecedented procedure”.
The green light for Kiev is a victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the summit via video link. He reminded leaders of the 2014 protests in Kiev’s Maidan Square, when Ukrainians waved EU flags in protest against Russian influence in their country. “I ask you one thing today: do not abandon these people and their faith in Europe.”