EU-Ukraine summit: announcements, but no timetable for the accession process

European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 3 in kyiv.

AP - Efrem Lukatsky

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

If the EU-Ukraine summit which was held this Friday in kyiv did not, it seems, make it possible to move forward on kyiv's candidacy file, it nevertheless allowed the various parties to agreement on several files.

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“ 

Ukraine is the European Union.

The European Union is Ukraine

 ”.

It is with these words that the President of the European Council Charles Michel appeared before the journalists, at the end of the summit devoted to the process of accession of Kyiv to the European Union.

The European leaders present this Friday recognize all the "

considerable efforts

" of the Ukrainian authorities, particularly in the fight against corruption.

These efforts are all the more remarkable in that they were undertaken in time of war, underlined for her part the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

To read also: Le Monde en questions – Can Ukraine soon be a member of the European Union?

Despite these praises, and even if, according to Charles Michel, “ 

the future of Ukraine is with the European Union

 ”, Ukraine's candidacy file does not seem to have made much progress.

No date has thus been set for the opening of accession negotiations, as Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped.

"

We will not waste a day in our work to get closer to the European Union

", nevertheless promised the Ukrainian president during a joint press conference with European leaders. 

New sanctions on February 24

If on this file, things are progressing slowly, announcements have still been made.

European leaders have indeed confirmed that a tenth set of sanctions against Moscow will soon be put in place, by February 24 at the latest, the anniversary of the start of the conflict.

A European embargo on Russian refined petroleum products sent abroad by sea must already come into force on Sunday, the Kremlin having meanwhile castigated a “ 

negative

 ” measure on Friday which will “ 

further unbalance

 ” the markets.

In their joint statement after the summit, European leaders also said they wanted to " 

intensify

 " efforts " 

to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's reconstruction and for reparations purposes, in accordance with European and international law 

”.

Ukraine and the European Union have finally agreed on the establishment in The Hague of an office to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Two options are being considered: that of a special international court or else a hybrid jurisdiction under Ukrainian law, but with international judges.

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