European Union foreign ministers gathered in the Ukrainian capital
Kyiv for a historic summit outside the bloc’s borders, said the EU’s foreign
policy chief Josep Borrell.
The meeting took place as Kyiv pushed to join the EU in the future,
amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which is in its 20th month.
“We are convening in a historic meeting of the EU foreign ministers
here in Ukraine, candidate country and future member of the EU. We are here to
express our solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people,” Borrell said in a
statement on social media.
“Ukraine’s future lies within the EU,” he added.
Ukraine hailed the summit.
“This is a historic event because for the first time ever the
foreign affairs council is going to sit down outside of its current borders –
outside the borders of the European Union – but within future borders of the
European Union,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters
alongside Borrell.
Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said it was “really
important to meet here today to show our solidarity with Ukraine.”
In 2014, Ukrainians staged a pro-EU popular uprising overthrowing a
pro-Moscow regime.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for fast-track
membership due to the Russian invasion.
AFP
