The European Union decided Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, a stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the necessary backing for its membership aspirations and long faced obstinate opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

European Council President Charles Michel, who was chairing a Brussels summit of the EU’s 27 leaders where the decision was made, called it “a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent.”

Although the process between opening negotiations and Ukraine finally becoming a member could take many years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement as “a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe.”

“History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom,” Zelenskyy said.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Great. Now let’s crank up the 155mm production lines, ship over more Bradleys, and give 'em the F16s and the full range ATACMS to take out Vladie’s bridge. Stop phukin around with that shithole Russia.

    • NIB@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      The US doesnt even have that many ATACMS because apparently you dont need precision artillery with over 300km range if you are fighting the Taliban. So many ATACMS have expired and havent been refurbished or replaced. There havent been made any ATACMS since 2007. The ATACMS replacement just came out and has very limited availability.

      Generally the West mostly has tech from the 80s and 90s or tech made to fight insurgency/taliban type threats. Only recently it started pivoting back to new weapon development for peer or near peer conflicts. The war in Ukraine and increasing threat to Taiwan has greatly accelerated that.

      Thats why outside of the US, the second biggest army in NATO is Turkey and Greece is up there, in terms of tanks, artillery pieces and airplanes. Because those are the only 2 NATO countries that are prepared for a peer war.

      Well Greece isnt really ready for any conflict, most of that shit is falling apart but i am pretty sure that Turkey is equally incompetent.

      Turkey wants to become Great Empire again and Greece doesnt feel like sharing its stuff with Turkey. Thats how Greece ended up having as many Leopard 2 tanks as Germany.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I’ve read analysis that we really don’t have mre Bradles to give them either. But, I am a believer that they can find some.

    • Quacksalber@sh.itjust.works
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      11 months ago

      It would be great if Orban would suck it, but this was bought by un-freezing funds that were held back because of Hungary’s failing democracy.

      • FaceDeer@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        There will be more funds to freeze in the future. Hungary isn’t going to be getting less dependent on the EU over time.

  • Matriks404@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    While I see Ukraine and Moldova in EU in the future if they (we) win, I don’t want Ukraine in EU if it’s fighting a war, since that is just going to create more problem than it solves.

    That said we (EU) should definitely support them financially and militarily and don’t depend on USA for that, since they can change their mind any time, if it’s not beneficial for them.

  • muntedcrocodile@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Has europe finaly realised the russian threat? A more cinical person would say its cos once ukraine recaptures crimea they have mad oil and europe is in desperate need of oil independance from russia.

  • acargitz
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    11 months ago

    Would be more credible if Bulgaria and Romania were not perpetually kept outside of Schengen for bullshit reasons.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union decided Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, a stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the necessary backing for its membership aspirations and long faced obstinate opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

    European Council President Charles Michel, who was chairing a Brussels summit of the EU’s 27 leaders where the decision was made, called it “a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent.”

    An EU official, who asked not to be identified because the summit negotiations were private, said Orban was “momentarily absent from the room in a pre-agreed and constructive manner” when the decision was made.

    EU leaders had expected the summit to take at least until late Friday before any sort of breakthrough might be clinched, so the fateful announcement came totally unexpectedly after Orban did not block the move by his colleagues.

    The urgency to find a solution is matched only by the potential blow to the EU’s credibility, the Ukrainian president said in a video address to the leaders assembled in Brussels.

    Orban has complained of corruption in Ukraine and demanded a “strategic discussion” on the country’s future in Europe as the war with Russia bogs down and concerns mount about what kind of administration might emerge in Washington after the U.S. elections in a year.


    The original article contains 1,026 words, the summary contains 226 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • jndonesinann@lemmy.my.id
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    11 months ago

    No reason to accept Ukraine. They’re just a beggar county, European union will benefit zero from that country

    Hopefully this won’t be needed if Putin is fast enough.

    Long live European union!

    • Fades@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      You clearly have 0 understanding of the global politics at play here. You seriously think Putin is gonna stop after Ukraine? How fucking stupid can you be?

      Also, ukr is one of the biggest producers of grain and such, they are very important to global economies.

      Moron

        • Matriks404@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          After Ukraine, they are pretty much guaranteed to go after Moldova and rest of Georgia. And expect annexation of Belarus and militarization of area near the baltics next. Whether or not they go after Lithuania/Latvia/Estonia just depends how much Putin is crazy and want to start global conflict.

    • muntedcrocodile@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Evwn if u are a self entitled asshole who cares nothing fof the ukrainian people the worse case cenario of them joining is u get a beutiful country to visit on holidays. Not to mention the whole more people more economy more betterer.