Michel calls on EU leaders to live up to their commitments on Ukraine

European Council President Charles Michel, ahead of the December 14-15 summit in Brussels, has called on the EU leaders to live up to their commitments on Ukraine.

Michel said this in his invitation letter to the members of the European Council, Ukrinform reports.

According to him, February 24, 2022 marked a turning point in Europe's history and since the outbreak of war on the continent, the EU has taken a number of unprecedented decisions in support of Ukraine and to strengthen in parallel Europe's sovereignty.

Michel stressed that 21 months on, "we are faced once again with the need to take bold decisions." According to him, they require our collective strength and determination, and the audacity to make the right choices.

"We must provide Ukraine with continued and sustainable political, financial and military support and, in particular, come to an agreement on providing EUR 50 billion for its long-term stability. We also have to agree to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, thereby giving it a necessary signal and bringing it yet closer to our European family," Michel said.

He also added that the EU needs to take significant decisions for other aspiring members while, in parallel, working to make the EU fit for the future and ready to take on new members.

Michel said that developments in the Middle East would also be a prominent item on the agenda of the summit.

"A pivotal European Council lies ahead of us. Now is the time for decision-making. I call on you all to come equipped with a spirit of compromise, a sense of collective responsibility, with the Union's interests and values at the forefront of your minds," he said.

On December 14, a two-day meeting of the EU heads of state and government will begin in Brussels to consider issues of historic importance to Ukraine, particularly the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU and the creation of a EUR 50 billion Ukraine Facility aid fund for 2024-2027.