Zelenskyy congratulates Hungary on starting EU Council Presidency and thanks Belgium
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated Hungary on the start of its EU presidency and praised Belgium, under whose leadership several important events for Ukraine took place.
Zelenskyy congratulated Hungary on the start of its six-month presidency of the EU Council.
"I wish the Hungarian Presidency effectiveness in promoting our shared European values, goals, and interests. While advancing on its path to the EU, Ukraine is ready to contribute to these efforts and strengthen our Europe," Zelenskyy said on Twitter (X).
He also expressed his gratitude to Belgium and its Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, noting that the Belgian presidency had been "historic".
Congratulations to Hungary on taking over the Presidency of the EU. I wish @HU24EU effectiveness in promoting our shared European values, goals, and interests. While advancing on its path to the EU, Ukraine is ready to contribute to these efforts and strengthen our Europe.
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 1, 2024
"During this time, significant steps were taken to strengthen Europe as a whole. Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, the €50 billion Ukraine Facility, important steps to use immobilised Russian assets, two sanctions packages, and the Ukraine Assistance Fund as part of the European Peace Facility. These are exactly the bold decisions that are required during such difficult times," the president said.
The Hungarian presidency has outlined seven priorities: improving the EU economy's competitiveness; reinforcing defence policy; shaping the future of "cohesion policy" (levelling out the development of the different EU member states); a "farmer-centred" agricultural policy; addressing "demographic challenges"; stemming illegal migration; and ensuring "a consistent and merit-based enlargement policy".
Shortly before Hungary’s EU presidency began, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the EU was in decline and Brussels officials "remind him of the Communists". He described the agreement between European parties on dividing up the top jobs in the EU as a "shameful pact".
According to European Pravda, Orbán may meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy as early as next week, possibly in Ukraine, as part of an effort to improve relations between Kyiv and Budapest in response to EU pressure.