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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: EU Summit Ukraine Preview (TV)
HEADLINE: EU to Decide on Ukraine Accession Talks, as Hungary Threatens Veto
TEASER: Budapest threatens to block $54 billion EU aid package for Kyiv
PUBLISHED AT: 12/13/23 at 8:20am
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ, MAS,
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Zoom, AFP, APTN, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:17
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO)) The European Union is set to decide whether to start formal membership talks with Ukraine at a crucial summit in Brussels that begins Thursday. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Hungary is threatening to veto Kyiv's application.]]
((NARRATOR))
Ukraine is planning for a European future after its war with invading Russian forces – and this week could be crucial in realizing those ambitions.
The European Union approved Ukraine’s candidate status in 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion.
At the upcoming two-day summit in Brussels starting Thursday, EU heads of state are set to decide whether to launch formal membership talks with Kyiv. Ukrainian officials say they have already completed many of the reforms demanded by the bloc.
((FOR RADIO: Kyiv’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.))
((Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister (in English) ))
“In return, in the spirit of partnership, mutual interests and reciprocity, we also expect the European Union to make a decision that will appreciate the effort made by Ukraine and grant to our country opening of the accession talks.”
Standing in the way is a single EU member: Hungary. It says Kyiv isn’t ready – and that a country at war should not start accession talks with the bloc.
Hungarian ministers have threatened to veto Ukraine’s membership bid – along with a proposed 54-billion dollar EU aid package for Kyiv as part of the bloc’s annual budget.
((FOR RADIO: Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told local media on Tuesday that it is clear that the EU is trying to get Hungary to join a decision that is obviously not acceptable to them. “We will never give up our national interests. We will never give up our sovereign decision-making powers,” he said.))
((Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Foreign Minister (in Hungarian)))
“It’s clear they are trying to get us to join a decision that is obviously not acceptable to us. We will never give up our national interests. We will never give up our sovereign decision-making powers.”
A failure by the EU to start accession talks with Ukraine would have wider consequences, says analyst Ian Bond.
((Ian Bond, Center for European Reform))
((cf. Zoom logo))
“The psychological impact would be quite considerable, because it will give a boost to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin who will think that in fact the West has not fully accepted that Ukraine should be part of the Western camp. And it will be psychologically damaging within Ukraine because people have built up this hope that they have been accepted as part of the family.”
((BEGIN OPTIONAL ))
Meanwhile, the EU is set to welcome back a friendly face. Former EU Council President Donald Tusk was elected as Poland’s prime minister Monday – and pledged to repair relations with Brussels.
((FOR RADIO: Tusk said that Poland's task and the new government's task - but also the task of all of us - is to loudly and firmly demand full determination from the entire Western community to help Ukraine win this war. I will do this from day one, he said.))
((Donald Tusk, Polish Prime Minister (in Polish) ))
“Poland's task, the new government's task, but also the task of all of us, is to loudly and firmly demand full determination from the entire Western community to help Ukraine win this war. I will do this from day one.”
((END OPTIONAL ))
EU leaders are also set to discuss a new raft of sanctions against Russia – including a ban on Russian diamonds.
The Israel-Hamas war will also feature high on the agenda, with the bloc due to discuss imposing sanctions against Israeli settlers who commit acts of violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News, London.))
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