BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A deputy head of the European Union executive said on Tuesday she would find “unacceptable” any talks about the war in Ukraine that would not include Kyiv or envisage the country giving up territory.
The European Commission’s vice-president Vera Jourova also said she would be “disappointed” if a Dec.14-15 summit of EU leaders refused to endorse proposals for more financial aid to Kyiv and a recommendation to launch accession talks with Ukraine.
The Czech EU Commissioner who worked on her own country’s EU entry nearly 20 years ago offered Kyiv a sympathetic ear recalling how difficult it was to meet European accession requirements.
She said that, under President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine was finally ready to overcome endemic corruption.
But she refused to speculate on whether Hungary would lift its veto in December on money for Kyiv and starting membership talks, saying a “very intense” diplomatic push was taking place to convince Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
She said the Commission would adopt this year a draft EU law on using for Ukraine’s benefit the proceeds on some 200 billion euros of frozen Russian assets. She said that unanimous backing of all the 27 EU countries would be needed to enact it.
(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska)
