Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is keeping his hopes high as the EU summit approaches, keen on kick-starting EU accession talks. Writing on his Telegram channel, Zelenskyy expressed optimism that the European Union leaders would acknowledge Ukraine's efforts and set forth this historical milestone. Ukraine has already done its part, and Zelenskyy believes that the EU will demonstrate unity and strength to bolster Ukraine's resilience against Russian aggression.
In the run-up to the two-day EU summit starting on Thursday, accession negotiations for Ukraine are among the major talking points. While the ongoing Russian aggression makes EU accession significant for Kiev, resistance within the Union persists. Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, has openly declared his dissent towards starting EU accession talks with Ukraine at this juncture, citing Ukraine's alleged failure to fulfill all reform requirements.
Zelenskyy had phone conversations with Italy's head of government, Giorgia Meloni, EU Council President Charles Michel, and new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. With Michel, they discussed the expected outcomes for Ukraine from the EU summit, which should demonstrate the EU's unwavering support and unity—crucial for strengthening Ukraine's defenses against Russian aggression and paving the way for EU membership. Zelenskyy conversed with Tusk about the upcoming EU summit decisions, echoing the sentiment that the entire European community needed to unite in strength.
Meanwhile, Russia reported defending against drone attacks from Ukraine on Thursday night, allegedly intercepting nine unmanned aerial vehicles in the Moscow and Kaluga regions. Moscow has been engaged in a prolonged conflict against Ukraine for over 21 months, with unrelenting shelling from the Ukrainian side. Russia claims to have deflected these types of attacks many times, but the true extent of damage remains unverified.
Following a massive hacker attack, Ukraine's largest mobile provider, Kyivstar, managed to partially restore telephone network access for some subscribers in major cities like Kiev. The 24-million-plus subscribers experienced a total communication blackout after the attack, suspected by some to be an act of Russian sabotage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to present his views on the war in Ukraine at his annual press conference and public address in Moscow on Thursday. As the EU summit unfolds, Ukraine will be keenly watching for critical decisions to advance their EU accession negotiations.
In the face of these developments, it is clear that the future of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations is at a critical juncture, with international backing and internal reforms set to determine Ukraine's path toward full EU membership. EU leaders will need to navigate challenges, garner support within the Union, and address Russia's aggressive actions to stand by Ukraine's side in this perilous time.
References and insights sourced from enrichment data:
- "The EU's resonance on Ukraine's membership" – The Kyiv Post
- "EU offers Ukraine fresh impetus for EU membership path" – Euractiv
- "European Parliament backs Ukraine in its EU accession bid" – UNIAN
- "Ukraine and EU accession" – Oxford Research Group
- The Council of the European Union suggests that the EU will accelerate Ukraine's accession negotiations, potentially opening two negotiating "clusters" by mid-2025.
