Zelenskyy on EU's Decision about Ukraine's Accession Negotiations: Victory for Whole Europe
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the European Union's decision to open accession talks with Ukraine a victory for the whole of Europe.
He wrote about this on Twitter (X).
"This is a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe. A victory that motivates, inspires, and strengthens.... Right now in Ukraine, a lot of us are feeling really uplifted, and it’s a big deal – it keeps us going. I want to say a huge thank you – to each of you for everything we’ve managed to accomplish! To all those who strengthen Europe by the unity of Ukraine. A special gratitude to all our guys and girls who are in the fight for Ukraine. To those who are battling right now, defending our freedom, helping our soldiers – treating them, training them, getting weapons to them, and making those weapons. All we achieve, would have been impossible without that heroic bravery of our people, our nation, which inspires the whole world," Zelenskyy wrote, commenting on the announcement by European Council President Charles Michel that negotiations had been opened.
"The European Council's decision to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been adopted. I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day. I also congratulate Moldova and personally Maia Sandu. History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom," he added.
Zelenskyy also personally addressed the leaders of several countries with words of gratitude:
"I was glad to hear about the European Council's decision to open negotiations personally from its President Michel. Charles, thank you for your leadership, for your efforts and faith in Ukraine!"
"I spoke with Maia Sandu (President of Moldova). We congratulated each other on today's decision of the European Council. This is our common victory! We are moving towards the EU together!"
"I spoke with Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz. I thank Chancellor Scholz for his personal efforts and Germany for its leadership. Germany's support for Ukraine is growing by the day. We see it and will always remember it".
"I spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron. Thank you, Emmanuel, for your warm congratulations and for all the support that France has provided us on this path."
"I had a phone conversation with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda. Mr Gitanas, thank you for your congratulations, thank you for being one of the most dedicated advocates of Ukraine in the EU all this time."
"I spoke with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez. I thanked him for his personal support of today's important decision on Ukraine. The Spanish Presidency of the EU ends with such a powerful result and will definitely go down in history!"
As The Gaze previously reported, EU leaders at a summit in Brussels endorsed the European Commission's recommendation to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
The decision of the EU leaders means that the European Commission begins preparing the technical aspects of the membership negotiations with Ukraine (the so-called negotiating framework) without further delay. It may be approved at the next EU summit in spring 2024 if it is recognised that Ukraine has fulfilled all the preliminary criteria of the European Commission.