EU official warns of difficult meeting over Ukraine and Moldova’s accession talks

• 21 November, 04:04

European Council chief Charles Michel has warned that the European Union meeting over Ukraine and Moldova’s accession talks in Brussels next month would be difficult.

The two countries’ EU accession was the topic of discussion during Michel’s surprise visit to Kyiv where he held a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Maia Sandu, the leader of Moldova, Ukraine’s neighbour that also seeks the membership for the European Union.

“The entry of Ukraine and Moldova into the EU is a strategic interest of ours and I will do everything possible to ensure that the European Council starts negotiations in December,” Charles Michel said in Kyiv.

The two Eastern Partnership countries’ accession to the European Union will be discussed during a summit held by EU leaders in Brussels on December 14-15. 

“The opening of negotiations would send the message that the EU can be trusted and at the same time it would be a message of unity towards the Kremlin,” Charles Michel said in Kyiv. He added that the EU leadership would do everything to convince all 27 EU member states to take a positive decision during the summit.

Both countries have been carrying out a series of reforms over the past year in a bid to win over EU membership

“We believe that the EU will be ready to do its part … so that by the end of the year in December, the result will be a political decision to start accession negotiations,” Zelenskiy said while addressing the press conference in Kyiv. He added that the negotiations over his country’s accession to the EU were “motivating” and “mobilizing” for Ukrainians.

In turn, Maia Sandu noted that both countries believe that “the European Union does not want to give Putin the right of veto in the European Union”.