Ukraine will do ‘anything’ to advance EU accession despite Orbán veto

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do “anything” to advance EU accession talks.

“Nobody can stop Ukraine in this way. It depends on unity. From our side, we’ll do anything. We need support from all other leaders,” he said, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Danish EU Presidency in Aarhus.

Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Frederiksen vowed to support Ukraine’s accession process to join the European Union.

Denmark aims to use its presidency of the EU Council to put “maximum pressure” on Hungary to lift its veto on Ukraine’s EU membership negotiations.

“Ukraine belongs to the European family and NATO,” Frederiksen said, adding that Denmark is thinking about the “best way forward,” without sharing additional details.

It comes as Russia continues to intensify its attacks on Ukraine, and the United States decided to halt some promised air defence missiles and weapons, which it had already pledged to Ukraine.

When asked about the pause in military assistance, Zelenskyy said he will speak with US President Donald Trump soon, but did not go into further detail.

The Ukrainian President called on the EU to invest more in Kyiv’s defence industry.

Frederiksen said she hoped for continued US military support, but vouched to fill any gaps if necessary.

Speaking at an earlier press briefing alongside von der Leyen, Frederiksen emphasised a need for a change in mindset.

“When we are delivering weapons to Ukraine, instead of thinking it as donations, we have to think of it as a part of rearming ourselves,” Frederiksen said.

“Because right now it is the army in Ukraine that is protecting Europe,” she added.

Von der Leyen added that “financial possibilities are in place to directly support Ukraine,” urging member states to make use of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a €150 billion budget introduced at the end of May that will help support member states that with to invest in defence.

“Member states can take this money and either buy military equipment and give it to Ukraine, or they can take this money and invest it in the extremely efficient Ukrainian defence industry,” von der Leyen noted.