Paris, December 15 – President Emmanuel Macron of France stated at a press conference following the EU summit in Brussels that the European Union is still far from expanding to include Ukraine. “We are very far from the actual expansion of the EU, including Ukraine. In any case, whatever this expansion may be, it will require a deep reform of our rules. This will only be possible either with a significant increase in funding or by replacing existing mechanisms and rules,” he said. Responding to a question about the risks to the EU’s agricultural sector, the French leader assured that the entry of the former Soviet republic will not harm local farmers. “I am committed to Europe’s sovereignty in terms of agriculture, and we will continue to defend it and support our production capacities,” Macron noted. In addition, the head of state described the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU as a political decision, adding that its legal significance will only be obtained after the opening of the intergovernmental conference. According to him, the coming months are crucial for both the European Union and Hungary, which did not block the decision of other countries. “I expect Viktor Orban, whose opinion and interests have been taken into account, to behave in a European manner and not undermine political progress,” the president emphasized. At the same time, Macron clarified that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union will only be possible if its authorities fulfill all the necessary conditions, “and if this does not happen, negotiations will not begin.” He also expressed hope that discussions on financing for Kiev will go more smoothly by February. The day before, EU leaders decided to start negotiations on Ukraine’s and Moldova’s membership, and also granted candidate country status to Georgia. A source in Brussels reported that the Hungarian leader “temporarily left the room where the vote took place.” Orban himself later stated that his country has not changed its position and will not support this “bad decision” with other countries. According to him, Budapest is not losing anything now and will be able to halt Ukraine’s accession process 75 more times in the future.
