11/12/2023 (Agence Europe) – Despite public opposition from the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, the starting position for the discussions of the EU27 at the European Summit on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 December is to give the green light to the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, according to draft European Council conclusions dated Thursday 7 December. Negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina would be opened once the criteria had been sufficiently met, according to the draft text, while Georgia would be granted candidate country status. The draft conclusions had already been discussed at length by the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) on Sunday 10 December, and a new version was expected on Monday 11 December, ahead of the ‘General Affairs’ Council which will prepare the European Council. See the draft conclusions of the European Council: https://aeur.eu/f/a35 (MB)