Ukraine scored an unexpected political victory Thursday as European Union leaders voted to open membership talks with the country.
The accession negotiations will likely take years, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy applauded the decision as welcome news at a time when his country is struggling to fend off Russia’s military invasion.
“This is a victory for Ukraine,” he said. “A victory for all of Europe.”
The move was a surprise amid vocal opposition from Hungary. It and signals a major shift in European leaders’ acceptance of Ukraine.
However, a proposed 50 billion euro ($73.6B Cdn) aid package for Ukraine, aimed to help the country stay afloat
