On November 4th, leaders from the European Union and candidate countries will gather in Brussels to discuss the future of European integration. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will join the event online, as reported by Euronews, the summit's organizer.
President Zelensky announced his participation in this unprecedented summit, which aims to explore the strategic aspects of Europe's enlargement, along with its challenges and benefits.
This summit will mark the first gathering of EU leaders and several candidate countries, actively debating the eastern enlargement of Europe at a crucial moment for both the EU and the candidate nations.
Among the participants are European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, and three prime ministers: Edi Rama (Albania), Milo Đukanović (Montenegro), and Dimitar Kovačevski (North Macedonia).
During the summit, Euronews plans to interview Zelensky to discuss Ukraine's strategy for achieving its key national goal of joining the EU, highlighting the urgency of this process amid Russia's war in Ukraine.
Ahead of the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized in her annual State of the Union address that a "stronger and larger Union" with Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans is a "guarantee of security for all of us."
In an exclusive column for Euronews, Ukraine's ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, stated that European integration has become a defining national goal for Ukraine and a key source of resilience for its society. "Joining the EU is not just an institutional or economic transformation; it is a guarantee of Ukraine's democratic future, as well as the security, unity, and trust of Europe itself," added Chentsov.
The ambassador warned against a slow accession process due to blockages from Hungary, stating that "any delay sends the wrong signal and risks discouraging Ukrainians who defend European values daily, often at the cost of their own lives."
In his address to EU leaders, the ambassador urged that "the European Union must respond to Ukraine's determination with strategic clarity and bold decisions," emphasizing that "confidence in the European project" depends on whether the EU will support those already defending European values on the frontline.
