European Union votes to open talks about granting access to Ukraine
BRUSSELS >> The European Union decided Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, a momentous moment and stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the backing for its membership aspirations and long faced obstinate opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
European Council President Charles Michel, who was chairing a Brussels summit of the EU's 27 leaders where the decision was made, called it “a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent.”
Although the process between opening negotiations and Ukraine finally becoming a member could take many years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement as “a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe.”
“History is made by those who don't get tired of fighting for freedom,” Zelenskyy said.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said it also was a black eye for Russian President Vladimir Putin: “It is a very clear message to Moscow. Us Europeans, we don't let go of Ukraine,” he said.
Orban said his opposition is steadfast, but, with a unanimous decision required, he decided to let his right to oppose lapse because the 26 others were arguing in favor. Under EU rules, an abstention does not prevent a decision from being adopted.
An EU official, who asked not to be identified because the summit negotiations were private, said Orban was “momentarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner” when the decision was made.
Orban said he stepped aside since all of his counterparts were committed to putting Ukraine on the EU membership path, though their position did not change his mind.
“Hungary's perspective is clear: Ukraine is not ready for us to begin negotiations on its EU membership. It's a completely illogical, irrational and improper decision” he said.
Others lauded Orban's gesture; they were preparing for a summit that some feared might spill over into an extra day Saturday.
“Certainly quicker than any of us expected,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.
“In fairness to Prime Minister Orban, he made his case, made it very strongly. He disagrees with this decision and he's not changing his opinion in that sense, but essentially decided not to use the veto power,” Varadkar said.
“I respect the fact that he he didn't do that, because it would have put us in a very difficult position as a European Union,” the Irish leader added.
Belgium's De Croo had a slightly different take, saying he thought Orban “didn't use his veto because he realized that it would be indefensible.”
At the same time as Ukraine, the EU leaders also decided to open membership negotiations with Ukraine's neighbor Moldova.
MOSCOW >> Emboldened by battlefield gains and flagging Western support for Ukraine, a relaxed and confident President Vladimir Putin said Thursday there would be no peace until Russia achieves its goals, which he says remain unchanged after nearly two years of fighting.
It was Putin's first formal news conference that Western media were allowed to attend since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The highly choreographed session, which lasted over four hours and included questions from ordinary Russians about things like the price of eggs and leaky gymnasium roofs, was more about spectacle than scrutiny.
But while using the show as an opportunity to reinforce his authority ahead of an election in March that he is all but certain to win, Putin also gave a few rare details on what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
He said that a steady influx of volunteers means there is no need for a second wave of mobilization of reservists to fight in Ukraine — a move that was deeply unpopular. He said there are some 617,000 Russian soldiers there, including around 244,000 troops who were mobilized a year ago to fight alongside professional forces.
“There will be peace when we will achieve our goals,” Putin said, repeating a frequent Kremlin line. “Victory will be ours.”
Putin, who has held power for nearly 24 years and announced last week he is running for reelection, was greeted with applause as he arrived in the hall in central Moscow. He didn't hold his traditional news conference last year amid setbacks in Ukraine.
But with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleading for more U.S aid amid a stalling counteroffensive and fracturing Western support, he decided to face reporters once more — even though only two Western journalists were called on for questions.
Putin highlighted Russia's successes in Ukraine and the flagging support by Kyiv's allies.
“Ukraine today produces nearly nothing, they are trying to preserve something but they don't produce practically anything themselves and bring everything in for free,” he said. “But the freebies may end at some point and apparently it's coming to an end little by little.”
Putin noted “an improvement in the position of our troops all along” the front line.
“The enemy has declared a big counteroffensive, but he hasn't achieved anything anywhere,” he added.
The session dealt mostly with Ukraine and domestic issues, but a few international topics were addressed:
— Putin said he wanted to reach a deal with Washington to free U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich and U.S. businessman Paul Whelan, both held in Russia on espionage-related charges. “We're not refusing to return them,” Putin said but added an agreement that satisfies Moscow was “not easy.”
— He deplored the death of thousands of civilians in Gaza amid the IsraeliHamas war, citing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called it a “graveyard for children.” He urged greater humanitarian aid, adding that Russia proposed setting up a field hospital in Gaza near the border with Egypt but Israel responded it would be unsafe.