Zelensky addressed the EU leaders in connection with the summit in Brussels

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the participants of the two-day EU summit, which opened on December 14 in Brussels, to give a “green light” to the start of negotiations with Kyiv on Ukraine’s membership in the European bloc, which now includes 27 states.

As Zelensky said, in the event of a negative vote on this issue, the European dreams of Ukrainians “will be betrayed,” and this will give Russia courage in its aggression against Ukraine.

Against the beginning of negotiations on the accession of Ukraine to the EU, Hungary stands out in the person of the Prime Minister of this country, Viktor Orban, who is considered the most friendly European leader to the Kremlin. Orban also opposes the allocation of a multibillion-dollar aid package to Kyiv. In this regard, disagreements between Orbán and other EU leaders are expected to dominate the meeting in Brussels.

Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing EU leaders via video link on Thursday, once again warned them about the risks for the whole of Europe in case of failure to provide assistance to Ukraine. “People in Europe will not see any benefit if Moscow gets a pass from Brussels in the form of negativity towards Ukraine. Putin will surely use this against you personally and against all of Europe. Do not give him this first – and only – victory of the year. Europe must win , agreements must be adhered to, and words must have meaning,” Zelensky emphasized. His words are quoted by RBC-Ukraine.

Upon his arrival at the summit, Viktor Orban made it clear that he was not in the mood to change his position. “Now there is no reason for negotiations on Ukraine’s membership. The preconditions have not been fulfilled. We must return to this issue later,” said the head of the Hungarian government.

During the trip of the Ukrainian president to Argentina earlier this month, it was reported that he had a meeting there with Orban, however, no details were disclosed.

• In November, the European Commission recommended the Council of the European Union (the highest body of the EU, which unites the leaders of the block countries) to start negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina about joining the EU. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, noted at the time that all three states had made sufficient progress in the reforms necessary for adoption in the EU.