By Athena Papakosta

European leaders agreed on Thursday to give the green light for the start of Ukraine’s accession negotiations for the Brussels club after eight hours of negotiations. The relevant announcement was made by the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, shortly before eight last night.

Journalists and analysts talk about an incredible turnaround, after everyone expected the thriller to continue due to the attitude of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had been standing his ground and threatening a veto for weeks.

The Hungarian Prime Minister finally left the Synod chamber at the moment when the leaders of the remaining 26 Member States had to decide on Ukraine’s accession course with the decision having to be unanimous.

According to well-informed sources, the decision for Viktor Orbán not to be in the Synod was decided earlier. The idea, they say, belonged to the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who reportedly told the Hungarian prime minister that since he did not agree, he could leave so that the rest of the European leaders could decide unanimously on the enlargement of the European Union. They also note that the proposal in question was not spontaneous but had been agreed upon in previous talks. In fact, they explain that the fact that he turned on the green light with him absent, although it is an unusual maneuver, is a legal procedure.

“This is a clear message of hope for the people of these countries and for our continent as a whole” the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, concluded in his announcement, while, despite the fact that the talks on Ukraine’s accession to the EU may take years, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke of “one victory for Ukraine, one victory for Europe”.

For his part, the black sheep of Europe and a very good friend of the president of Russia, Viktor Orban, he emphasized with a related video which he posted on platform X that “Hungary is not changing its position” calling the decision of the other 26 Member States “absurd” and adding that “he does not want to bear part of the responsibility”.

Shis first reaction Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croix responded bluntly to Orbán that “if you are part of the decision, that is, if you haven’t vetoed, you just have to keep your mouth shut” to then add that “the only thing that matters is whether you vetoed or not.”

And the truth is how the Hungarian prime minister stuck to the threats with the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, to note that the process ended much earlier than he expected as there were not a few who declared sure that the two-day Synod would go into overtime on Saturday.

As far as Ukraine’s accession process is concerned, the green light for the start of negotiations may have been given yesterday, but there are still four more steps to go.. For starters, leaders should agree on a negotiated framework for the talks so that Kiev can prepare to adopt permanent EU legislation and implement the necessary reforms.

This framework is a proposal of the European Commission and must be approved by all 27 Member States. When the negotiations are completed, the European Commission will have to decide whether or not Ukraine will be ready for EU membership, which will have to be decided unanimously by all Member States as well as the European Parliament. Finally, the leaders of the 27 as well as the Ukrainian leadership will have to sign the accession treaty which will then have to be ratified by all the Member States either through a vote in the national parliaments or through a national referendum.

As announced by the president of the European Council negotiations will begin in March when the relevant report on the required changes that Kiev will have to make will be completed to meet the criteria for joining the European Union.