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Transcript/ScriptEU-SUMMIT-UKRAINE
HEADLINE: EU Leaders Meet to Decide Ukraine’s Path to Accession
TEASER: Brussels summit will also discuss further military aid to Ukraine
PUBLISHED AT: 06/22/2022 at 745pm
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: cobus, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, APTN, Reuters, AFP, Teams
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:48
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: VPKGN
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Ukraine’s hopes of joining the European Union could take a major step forward this week as the bloc’s 27 leaders meet in Brussels to decide on its application for membership, alongside Moldova and Georgia. As Henry Ridgwell reports, E.U. leaders will also discuss further military support for Ukraine as Russia intensifies its bombardment in the Donbas region.]]
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF ZELENSKYY ADDRESSING CROWD))
On the eve of the European Union summit, Ukraine’s president addressed a crowd in Amsterdam via video link Wednesday — telling them the E.U. must approve his country’s membership.
((Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (in English) ))
"I am sure that none of us - none of you - have any doubt that Ukraine should get a positive decision. We deserve it. And we deserve it not only for our bravery and our fight from freedom.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF FIGHTING IN SIEVIERODONETSK))
That fight rages on in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Ukrainian forces are clinging on to their last strongholds in Sievierodonetsk. Outgunned and outnumbered by the Russian invaders, they are desperate for more Western help.
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF BRUSSELS))
European Union heads of state will discuss further military support for Ukraine. The 27 leaders are expected to grant the country accession candidate status — putting it on the path to full E.U. membership.
((Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor (in German) ))
“Ukraine belongs to us, it belongs to the European family.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF PRO-EU RALLY IN GEORGIA))
For Ukraine the benefits of joining the E.U. are clear, says analyst Camino Mortera-Martinez.
((Camino Mortera-Martinez, Center for European Reform))
“There is a huge single market, there is a number of institutions and organizations that can help. There is money to be had. But especially for Ukraine, I think now the most important thing would be to have this sign that they belong to a group of countries who are able and willing to stand up to Russia.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF ZELESNKYY MEETING E.U. LEADERS))
Throughout the four months of conflict, Ukraine’s president has courted European leaders — with a message that Ukrainians deserve E.U. membership in return for defending Europe from Russia’s aggression. But full membership remains a long way off.
((Camino Mortera-Martinez, Center for European Reform))
“It can take 10 years or more. It goes by chapters, so every big chunk of policy is what the (European) Commission calls chapters. So it takes a lot of negotiation to close the chapters, to have those negotiations over. And it would imply a lot of reforms on the part of Ukraine.”
((VIDEO: VOA FOOTAGE OF SULLIVAN))
Speaking to VOA, the United States’ ambassador to Russia backed Ukraine’s E.U. membership.
((John J. Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to Russia))
“We support the Ukrainian aspirations to join [the E.U.], and it's tragic that Russia is pushing at the point of a gun Ukraine closer to the west.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF FIGHTING IN SIEVIERODONETSK))
Meanwhile Ukraine has warned that Russia will intensify attacks in the coming days — as the country seeks to sever ties with its eastern neighbor and forge a new European future.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)London
Embargo DateJune 22, 2022 19:53 EDT
Byline((Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London.))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
