Brussels (dpa) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has described the decision taken at the EU summit to begin accession talks with Ukraine as a “strong sign of support” for the country under attack from Russia. He also welcomed the decision, taken at the same time, to initiate accession talks with Moldova. “It’s clear: these countries belong to the European family.”
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the decision to begin accession talks “historic”. “You belong with us – that is our promise to the people in Ukraine and Moldova who have chosen Europe,” Baerbock wrote on the messaging service X.
Ukraine and its small neighbour Moldova have already been waiting for some time for a decision to be taken on the start of negotiation talks. Though the EU Commission had recommended this step in principle in November, the European Council still had to give its approval. This vote took place on Thursday evening. According to EU sources, however, the harshest critic of this move, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was not in the room when the decision on Ukraine was taken.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the EU decision as a victory for Ukraine and for all of Europe. “A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X. “History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom,” wrote Zelenskiy, who had stopped off in Germany to visit the European headquarters of the US armed forces in Wiesbaden.
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