The heads of state and government discussed for almost six hours on Thursday evening in the Palace of Versailles.

This time there was no magical moment when the differences in interests evaporated.

But this time Volodymr Selenskyj was not connected either.

At the last crisis meeting on the day the war broke out, the Ukrainian president had persuaded the Europeans to impose much tougher sanctions on Russia than they had previously had in mind.

And promoted his country's future in the European Union.

This is one of the most difficult issues in Europe, as the cumbersome negotiations with the countries of the Western Balkans have shown for years.

Zelenskyj's hope that he would be able to clear all the hurdles in the face of Russian aggression at lightning speed has not been fulfilled.

At Versailles those countries prevailed

Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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Mark Rutte left no doubt about it when he appeared in front of the cameras again at half past two in the morning.

"There is no fast track on candidate status and membership in our rulebook," said the Dutch Prime Minister, who is one of the spokesmen on the issue.

In 2016 he lost a consultative referendum at home on the association agreement with Ukraine, with 61 percent rejecting it.

Opponents had argued that the agreement would open the door to EU membership.

A way was then found to put it into effect anyway, but because of this history Rutte falls into the role of brakeman himself.

It will take "months, maybe years," he said at Versailles, before Ukraine's application will lead to official candidate status.

Gitanas Nauseda spoke on Friday morning for the eight states that wanted to go further.

"I would like Ukraine to be given candidate status immediately," said the Lithuanian President, but he understands why there is resistance in other countries.

He admitted a "slight disappointment", but at least the direction is right: "We are ready to give Ukraine a perspective to start the process." In concrete terms, this means: It is now up to the EU Commission to determine the readiness for membership of the country to examine.

As things stand, this will take at least a year.

And it is not settled that she then recommends the opening of negotiations or that the states follow it unanimously.

The longer the war lasts, the more the country is destroyed, the further the EU moves into the distance.