The historic EU summit is in Brussels.

Ahead of the summit, the EU said it expected more reforms from the Western Balkans. According to the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, all six countries of the Western Balkans are determined to carry out the necessary reforms to become members of the EU.

We expect further reforms from them, especially in the area of ​​the rule of law and the independence of justice, he noted.

Michel said there was “strong political determination” in the region to implement the necessary reforms.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed regret over the slow progress on the integration of Western Balkan countries into the European Union.

We must deliver on our promises, avoid disappointment and live up to the expectations we have created,” he said.

The European Union demanded that these countries support Brussels’ foreign policy decisions, including sanctions bans, Borrell recalled. We are talking about Serbia, which is an EU candidate country but refuses to join sanctions against Russia imposed in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

Austria expressed support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession on the eve of the summit.

With statements that it will not support Ukraine’s membership, Vienna is trying to bring Bosnia and Herzegovina into the EU through the back door, writes Politico.

The real reason why Austria suddenly made a fuss about Ukraine in Brussels has to do with Bosnia and Herzegovina. If the EU begins accession negotiations with Ukraine, Austria wants Bosnia and Herzegovina, with which it has long-standing economic and political ties, to join, the newspaper notes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a candidate country for EU membership at the end of 2022, but must address rule of law rule-of-law issues before negotiations can begin.

With Ukraine’s accession negotiations on the agenda at today’s EU summit, Austria saw an opportunity to get its ally through the back door.

Defrosting Hungary

Ahead of the summit, the European Commission unfrozen some funds for Hungary, saying Budapest had met the conditions for the independence of its judiciary. The European Commission took this step on the eve of the EU summit, at which the issue of providing long-term assistance to Ukraine, blocked by Budapest, will be decided.

Leaders of the main political groups in the European Parliament have sent a letter to European Commission President Ursulie von der Leyen, criticizing the unfreezing of EU funds for Hungary.

Scholz’s statement on the EU vote

The Council of Europe needs to make more decisions through qualified majority voting to avoid blocking the association’s decisions by its individual member states, such as Hungary.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated this in a speech before the Bundestag. He also expressed concern about the decline in support for Ukraine and proposed relaxing voting requirements in the Council of Europe ahead of the EU summit in Brussels.

Almost all EU member states wanted to provide Kyiv with the specified amount of financial assistance in the amount of 50 billion euros, while Hungary has not yet agreed. Vladimir Putin is betting on weakening international support for Ukraine. There is no denying the danger that this strategy could work,” the chancellor said.