European leaders agreed to open EU membership talks with Ukraine, in a move hailed as a “victory” by the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the regional group was unable to pass a crucial aid package for Kyiv after Hungary blocked it. The news was promptly welcomed by the Ukrainian leader, whose people have been battling a devastating Russian invasion since February 2022. “This is a victory for Ukraine. However European leaders were unable to sign off on a multi-billion dollar financial aid package for Ukraine after Hungary was the sole nation to voice opposition, according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Earlier this week, Orban claimed that Ukraine still needed to meet three of the seven conditions necessary to greenlight accession talks and, therefore, said there was no current reason to negotiate EU membership for Ukraine.

Source: CNN December 14, 2023 19:31 UTC