"Now is the time for decisions": Michel addressed EU leaders before the summit with motivating words and a call to start accession talks with Ukraine

European Council President Charles Michel addressed EU leaders with motivating words in a letter of invitation to the December 14-15 summit, stating that the EU must fulfill its obligations and agree to open accession talks with Ukraine, UNN reports.

Details

"February 24, 2022 was a turning point in the history of Europe. Since the outbreak of war on our continent, we have taken a number of unprecedented decisions to support Ukraine and, at the same time, strengthen Europe's sovereignty. Twenty-one months later, we are once again faced with the need to take bold decisions. They require our collective strength and determination, and the courage to make the right choice," Michel began his letter with these words.

"We must honor our commitments to Ukraine and continue to be a reliable and strong partner. We must provide Ukraine with constant and sustainable political, financial and military support and, in particular, agree to provide 50 billion euros for its long-term stability. We must also agree to open accession talks with Ukraine, thus sending it the necessary signal and bringing it closer to our European family," Michel emphasized in his address to EU leaders.

The President of the European Council pointed out the need for the EU to make important decisions on other applicants for membership, "while working to make our Union fit for the future and ready to welcome new members".

Regarding the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Michel emphasized that he put forward "a proposal aimed at reconciling the different positions at the negotiating table". "As with any compromise solution, I call on your willingness to compromise for the sake of unity. Reaching a consensus will indeed require a determined joint effort and strong political commitment on the part of all of you," he said.

On security and defense, he said, "more needs to be done to quickly achieve the Union's goals of increasing defense readiness." "We also have to work on the creation of an internal defense market, which is crucial for strengthening our Union in this area," he pointed out, among other issues.

"We have an important European Council ahead of us. Now is the time for decision-making. I urge you all to arrive with a spirit of compromise, a sense of collective responsibility, with the interests and values of the Union at the forefront," Michel concluded.

To recap,

MEPs called on EU leaders to decide at the December 14-15 summit to open membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's statements about starting talks on Ukraine's accession.

At the summit, 27 EU leaders are to decide whether to accept the European Commission's recommendation to invite Ukraine to start membership talks as soon as it fulfills the final conditions.

Any such decision would require the unanimity of the bloc's 27 members, with Hungary seen as a major potential obstacle. The Hungarian Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that Hungary will not support the proposal.