Work on security guarantees for Ukraine accelerated after a gathering of European leaders at the White House in August. But EU governments have yet to nail down what those could look like — and the extent of U.S. involvement.
Zelenskyy said the best security guarantee is a “strong” Ukrainian army, backed by allies’ funding contributions, and thanked Metsola for the Parliament’s staunch support for Ukraine’s EU accession.
Ukraine’s EU membership bid received an initial green light from EU leaders in 2023. But its progress is currently being blocked by Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has made opposing Kyiv’s entry into the bloc a key pillar of his own bid for reelection next year.
Zelenskyy also called on lawmakers to support further sanctions against Russia and criticized Hungary and Slovakia for being “dependent” on Russia’s energy exports.
EU governments are negotiating tougher sanctions against Moscow — and potentially Beijing— after U.S. President Donald Trump asked the bloc to quit energy imports from Russia.
