European leaders have decided to open EU membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the decision, made at a summit in Brussels, as a victory for his country and Europe.
A spokesperson for Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said that agreement was unanimous.
Reports say that Hungary has long opposed talks starting with Kyiv, but did not veto the move. Prime Minister Viktor Orban left the room momentarily in what officials described as a pre-agreed and constructive manner, while the other 26 leaders went ahead with the vote.