(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . EU ascension talks for Ukraine and Moldova passes after Orban excuses himself from the room. [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-12-14 History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom. Volodymyr Zelenski The EU agreed to open membership discussions with Moldova and Ukraine. The EU also agreed to candidate status for Georgia. Germany’s Olaf Scholz suggested to Hungary’s Victor Orban that he leave the room as the other 26 members cast their votes and he did. The summit held in Brussels was the last to be held in 2023. Reporting from DW: A number of other European Union leaders have joined the chorus welcoming the start of EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the vote was a proud moment for Ukraine, Moldova and Europe. "We kept our promises. We made history. Now we will write the future together," she said. x This is a proud moment for Europe. For Ukraine. For Moldova. For everyone fighting for our values. For everyone looking to Europe as a beacon of hope. We kept our promises. We made history. Now we will write the future together. @ZelenskyyUa @sandumaiamd pic.twitter.com/HFVs8c1vb4 — Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) December 14, 2023 "In fairness to Prime Minister Orban, he made his case, made it very strongly. He disagrees with this decision and he's not changing his opinion in that sense, but essentially decided not to use the veto power," Varadkar said. "I have to say, I respect the fact that he didn't do that, because it would have put us in a very difficult position as a European Union," the Irish leader added. Meanwhile, Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo instead suggested that Orban "didn't use his veto because he realized that it would be indefensible." In a separate post on DW, it was reported that Germany’s Olaf Scholz was responsible for asking Orban to leave the room. DW's Jack Parrock said there had been a "crazy few hours" at the final EU summit of the year because Orban had threatened to veto any support for Kyiv. "The idea for him to leave the room was actually an initiative by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz," said Parrock. "It is possible to overcome unanimity by one leader leaving the room, and essentially what they call it is a 'constructive abstention'." "They're not in the room, the other leaders can move forward, and that means they can open the accession talks with Ukraine." x I've heard it from two different sources that the idea for Hungarian PM Orban to leave the summit room while the other leaders approved the start of accession talks for Ukraine, came from German chancellor Olaf Scholz. Orban knew that it would happen while he was gone. #EUCO — Jack Parrock (@jackeparrock) December 14, 2023 In an additional DW post on the meeting, Georgia was granted candidate status. Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili has hailed the decision by the European Union to officially grant her country candidate status. This is the last step before membership talks can begin. "Today signifies a monumental milestone for Georgia and our European family!" she said on social media. "The unwavering will of the Georgian people has spoken, leading to the well-deserved attainment of candidate status." x 🇬🇪🇪🇺 Today signifies a monumental milestone for Georgia and our European family! The unwavering will of the Georgian people has spoken, leading to the well-deserved attainment of candidate status. Georgia's reunification with its European family is an irreversible prospect! 🇬🇪🇪🇺 — Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) December 14, 2023 Too bad so sad for Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Three wins for democracy today. x Starting accession negotiations with #Ukraine is a bad decision. Hungary did not participate in the decision. pic.twitter.com/omYLSxefkI — Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) December 14, 2023 x The #EUCO decision to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been adopted. I thank everyone who worked for this to happen and everyone who helped. I congratulate every Ukrainian on this day. I also congratulate Moldova and personally @SanduMaiamd.… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 14, 2023 x The European Council has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine & Moldova. #EUCO granted candidate status to Georgia. And the EU will open negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is reached and… — Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) December 14, 2023 Freedom N’awlins style. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/12/14/2211764/-EU-ascension-talks-for-Ukraine-and-Moldova-passes-after-Orban-excuses-himself-from-the-room?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/