President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally participates in the informal summit of the leaders of the European Union in Ayia Napa (Cyprus). A key issue on the agenda was the unblocking of large-scale financial assistance for Ukraine, which for a long time was hampered by Hungary.
This writes Politico, informs the portal PromPolitInform.
It is expected that the y informal summit of the leaders of the European Union will finally approve a loan for Kyiv in the amount of 90 billion euros. This step became possible after the completion of procedural approvals and the resumption of transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which eliminated the main obstacles that Budapest had previously used to block the decision.
“New mood” in relations with Kyiv
EU diplomatic circles note a tangible “breath of optimism” against the background of a change in the political situation in Hungary. This opens a window of opportunity not only for financial assistance, but also for accelerating Ukraine’s European integration path.
In particular, according to the European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Taras Kachka, Kyiv is counting on the imminent opening of all “clusters” of negotiations on accession to the EU. The ambitious goal is to open the first cluster already during the Cyprus presidency, which ends in June, and by the end of the year, during the Irish presidency, to open all six.
Priorities of the summit: from defense to the economy
Despite the focus on the Ukrainian issue, the summit will also touch on other critical topics:
Security architecture: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaya Kallas will discuss with the leaders the provisions of Article 42.7 of the EU Treaty – the clause on mutual defense. Cyprus, which is not a member of NATO, actively promotes this dialogue as a mechanism for protecting member states.
Economic competitiveness: Leaders plan to approve a “One Europe, One Market” roadmap aimed at completing the formation of the EU single market. Despite tense discussions between EU institutions on the social aspects of this document, a compromise was reached that would allow the European Parliament to give a “green light.”
Investment agreements: A new agreement on investment in new technologies between the EU and Ukraine is expected to be signed today. The project involves attracting 140 million euros of guarantees and 21 million euros of grant funds, which should unlock up to 400 million euros of funding.
Realistic view of challenges
Despite the festive atmosphere around solutions for Ukraine, diplomats remain realistic about other crises. Discussions on the situation in the Middle East, according to the summit participants, currently have no prospects for “concrete results,” and energy challenges and rising prices for resources continue to put pressure on European households.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Cyprus confirms that, despite internal challenges and global instability, support for Ukraine remains the main political engine of the European Union for the coming years. “We will support Ukraine in 2026 and 2027… as much as necessary,” said President of the European Council Antonio Costa.
Photo – OP
