“The European Council has decided to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova,” says the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in a post on the X platform.

He also noted that the European Council has decided to grant candidate country status to Georgia, and the EU will start negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the accession criteria is achieved, while he has called on the Commission to submit a report by March for the purpose of making such a decision.

Charles Michel speaks of “a clear message of hope for their people and for our continent”.

“This is a historic moment and shows the credibility and strength of the European Union,” said the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in his statements after the decision to start accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova.

He also referred to the granting of candidate country status to Georgia and the opening of negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the accession criteria is achieved,

“We will start negotiations and the report will be issued in March” he added. At the same time, Mr. Michel spoke of “a very strong political message, a very strong political decision”.

As the President of the European Council underlined, “it was important that no member state would oppose the decision, and that is why we were able to make this announcement tonight.”