Exclusive interview of Charles Michel about Ukraine’s accession to the EU, budget support and European security 

On November 21, the 10th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, the President of the European Council Charles Michel visited Kyiv. Suspilne spoke with him about the changes in the EU’s attitude towards Ukraine, the country’s future accession to the EU, and additional financial support.

• You have come to Ukraine on the 10th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity

Yes, we in the EU feel how important it is to support Ukraine and be here on the anniversary of the Euromaidan. This date is extremely important, as a lot started after the Revolution of Dignity. The Ukrainian people made their choice – EU, support of common values of democracy, free will, and freedoms. Ten years later, Ukrainians are paying a high price for their choice. To support Ukraine for as long as necessary is a moral obligation, and also strategic responsibility for the EU.

• Hungary announced that it will block Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Slovakia announced that it would not provide weapons to Ukraine. Are these not the signs that support of Ukraine is decreasing in Europe?

There is a strong support of Ukraine in the European Union. At the same time, it is important to build a single position at the level of the EU Council, which includes 27 heads of states and governments of member states. That is not an easy task. However, as the President of the European Council, I am not giving up, although there are colleagues who find it difficult to make a decision that will show that our support is unwavering.

• At the summit in December, EU member states can approve a decision to open negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which could start in March next year. How much time will it take Ukraine to join the EU?

The first important element is that Ukraine is implementing required reforms. Today, (21 November 2023 – Ed.), which is rather symbolic, the Verkhovna Rada passed important decisions voting on the laws in the field of the fight against corruption. This is a powerful signal for EU members. You still have a lot of work ahead, and it will be difficult. The important thing is not to forget that the main goal is Ukraine in the EU, because that will be good for Ukrainians and for the EU. This will make Europe safe, us more prosperous and stronger. It is our common goal.

However, we need to work a lot. We held a meeting with President Zelensky and his team to determine what needs to be done for Ukraine to move towards the EU as quickly as possible and become a member state one day.

• How can the European Union overcome these disagreements between EU countries regarding support for Ukraine?

There is a fundamental argument: the security and future of the European continent is at stake. There is a wide support of the majority of measures within the EU in support of Ukraine. It is true, however, that we need to approve decisions based on consensus. This means that we need to work more on details. We need to take into account the report of the European Commission (on November 8, the European Commission published a report assessing Ukraine’s progress on the path to the EU – Ed.) and see what can be done to make sure we reach a unanimous decision. This is a difficult task. But look, since the beginning of the first year of the full-scale invasion, we have surprised the world, including the Kremlin, by being able to be whole and united. This is our main asset for protecting the security of the European continent.

• Ukraine’s neighbouring countries complain that Ukrainian grain is cheaper and that their agrarian businesses are suffering from this. How can this problem be resolved?

It is important to work towards connecting the Ukrainian economy with the EU. The bigger progress we achieve in bringing Ukraine to European standards, the more we will work on a common economic approach and communication strategy. Indeed, in the short term, we may observe certain irritation, hardships, but the bigger picture is more important, and that is that we have common doors. The European Union needs to make specific and pragmatic proposals to resolve these challenges.

• The EU’s multi-year budget is expected to be approved by the end of the year. Will it include the Ukraine Facility in the amount of EUR 50 billion?

Yes, this issue is on the agenda. However, there are difficult discussions about this EU budget and not only because of Ukraine, as we need to clarify how we will find the money. Ukraine is a top priority for the European Council, but we also have other priorities that we need to address in parallel. For example, this is about migration, or some other challenges.

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