Costa: We don't need Hungary to continue the accession process of Ukraine

We do not need Hungary to continue the accession process of Ukraine; The consent of 27 countries will be needed only at the end of negotiations – said PAP chairman of the European Council Antonio Costa. Therefore, he does not agree that the lack of opening the first cluster by the Polish presidency should be called a failure.

During the Polish conductivity of Poland in the EU Council, the so -called the first negotiating cluster in talks about Ukraine's accession to the EU. At the EU summit on Thursday in Brussels, which was hosted by Costa, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not agree to the conclusions from the summit calling for this step, because – as he said – “if we integrated Ukraine with the EU, we would integrated the war.”

In an interview with PAP, Costa emphasized, however, that “completely disagrees” to the lack of progress on the formal path of Ukraine to the Union during the Polish presidency should be called a failure. “During these six months it was very impressive, which Ukraine did to carry out reforms in very difficult conditions,” he said.

He added that at the top on Thursday the European Commission confirmed its assessment that Ukraine met the criteria for the opening of the so -called the first negotiating cluster. “The European Council accepted this assessment with satisfaction and encouraged the EU Council (ministers of the Member States – PAP) to decide to open it” – noted the head of the European Council.

He emphasized that “the most important, however, is not the formality of opening this cluster or not.” “The most important thing is that Ukraine fulfills its obligations, conducts reforms, and we work very much and specifically on the European path of Ukraine and for its membership in the Union,” said the Portuguese.

“We don't need Hungary to do what we do now, and therefore to negotiate with Ukraine. Ukraine does not need Hungary to carry out reforms,” ​​said Costa.

“We will continue and support Ukraine in its reform process, and this is a continuous process,” he added. “We need Hungary only at its end, when 27 Member States have to determine the end of negotiations, we don't need (their – PAP) until then, we can continue work and we do that” – said the host of the EU peaks.

“I do not know how many years the Polish accession process lasted, but I remember that my country needed at least nine years” – said a politician from Portugal. “We've worked for these nine years, sometimes formally, other times informally. It is important not to waste time – it is first, and secondly, to clearly tell Ukraine that its future is in the EU, and the European path of Ukraine is strongly supported by the Member States” – noted Costa.

He pointed out that Hungary did not agree to the accession of Ukraine when it is at war. “But we are all working on achieving a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine and I hope that it will be achieved before the end of negotiations (accession – PAP), which always take time” – he emphasized.

From Brussels Magdalena Cedro and Łukasz Osiński (PAP)

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