“Prove that you are with us,” Zelensky implores Brussels

Reading Time: < 1 minute

As a kilometres-long convoy of Russian forces approached the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, gave a powerful video address to members of the European Parliament on Tuesday. Pleading for Brussels to show which side it was on, he said, “Do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness.”

“We have a desire to see our children alive, I think it is a fair one. We are fighting for survival. We are fighting to be equal members of Europe,” he explained, after having signed yesterday an official request from Kyiv to become an EU member state.

President of the European Council Charles Michel has said that the EU would take Ukraine’s membership submission seriously. After Zelensky’s speech, which received a standing ovation, Michel admitted it would be “difficult” given the “different” views in Europe. “The (European) Council will have to seriously look at the symbolic, political and legitimate request that has been made and make the appropriate choice in a determined and clear-headed manner,” he said.

The Guardian reports that Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said his country is in favour of starting membership talks with Ukraine, as proposed by leaders from eight EU member states: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian

Drew Leifheit

Recent Posts

Single market is not single, and it’s costing us all

The EU’s internal market is still falling short of its founding promise. Despite decades of…

3 days ago

Foot-and-mouth sees culls, CEE border closures

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has prompted mass animal culls and tightened border controls…

7 days ago

Trump tariffs split EU as Hungary seeks exemption

Hungary has broken ranks with the EU in response to the US's new tariffs policy,…

7 days ago

CEE leaders weigh in on security, expansion, energy at Antalya forum

Attendees from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) nations including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia,…

1 week ago

CEE leads EU raw materials drive as EU selects strategic mining projects

The European Commission (EC) has chosen 47 strategic projects across the EU to reduce critical…

1 week ago

Vucic names academic as PM candidate, as demonstrators take protest to Strasbourg

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic nominated political newcomer Duro Macut, a 62-year-old endocrinologist and university professor,…

2 weeks ago