EU leaders have granted "candidate" status to Ukraine and Moldova at a summit marked also by Western Balkan frustration.
Meanwhile, Georgia obtained promise of future candidacy, if it carries out reforms.
The decision "strengthens Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, in the face of Russian imperialism. And it strengthens the EU. Because it shows once again to the world that we are united and strong in the face of external threats," EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.
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Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.