European Council decisions on opening accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova show that one should never be pessimistic - Rinkevics

RIGA - The European Council's decisions on the opening of EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova show that one should never fall into pessimism, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said in a tweet.

He also stresses that we must fight to the end. Everything must now be done to ensure that Ukraine continues to receive military and financial aid.

"It will not be easy, but Ukraine will win, we will win," the President reassured.

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina (New) told Latvian Television last night that this is a historic moment. The EU has been able to prove that it can take decisions and achieve results and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has lost. "And I think that is the most important thing," Silina stressed.

The fact that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban walked out of the meeting room shows that he could not find it in himself to go along with the decision of the 26 EU member states.

Ukraine needs this moral and political support as well as financial support, although negotiations on financial assistance for Ukraine are not easy.

Although decisions have to be taken in rather painful discussions, everyone understands that without security at Europe's borders, there will be no security for the rest of Europe, the Prime Minister said.

The AFP news agency reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said the European Union's decision to open accession talks with Ukraine was "a victory" for his war-torn country and "all of Europe".

"A victory that motivates, inspires, and strengthens," he posted on X, formerly Twitter. "History is made by those who don't get tired of fighting for freedom."

Kyiv had feared Hungarian President Viktor Orban would veto the start of accession talks, but EU Council President Charles Michel said Thursday that the EU had agreed to open talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said the EU's decision showed that it "highly appreciated the reforms we have made in recent years and the implementation of all the recommendations of the European Commission."

"A difficult path lies ahead. We are united and ready to pass it as quickly as possible," he said.