On 1 January 2024, Belgium took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Ukraine can count on the support of official Brussels.
Belgian Presidency of the EU: what is important to know
As mentioned earlier, each member of the bloc can preside over the EU Council for six months.
Countries replace each other on a rotating basis.
Belgium will lead the EU from January to June this year.
After that, the chairmanship will pass to Hungary, which is known to have a pro-Russian stance and to try to block all important decisions on Ukraine.
It is important to understand that recently, the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Hadja Lahbib, presented their country's programme for the EU Council Presidency.
First of all, it will focus on reforming the EU, stimulating innovation and economic competitiveness, protecting the bloc's external borders, and promoting peace.
According to de Croo, his country wants to focus on internal reforms that are crucial to keeping the bloc functioning, as well as on the potential expansion of the EU to the east and the Western Balkans to the southeast.
Such a reform, however, would not focus on narrowing consensus and expanding the use of qualified majorities — ideas that have already been raised in similar discussions and do not have the support of all member states.
What can Ukraine expect from presidency of Belgium in European Union
It is important to understand that Belgium, like most other EU countries, is actively supporting Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
That is why the heads of the Belgian and Ukrainian foreign ministries have already agreed that Ukraine's accession to the EU will be among the priorities of Belgium's presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2024.
Interestingly, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, his country's presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2024 will be "more peacekeeping" and its goal is to "occupy Brussels".
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