EU leaders did not offer the guarantee of membership that Zelenskyy had requested.

 EU leaders back Ukraine but balk at fast-track membership

After hours of debate over Russia’s war, summit pledges to help refugees and deliver robust aid.

Council summit at the Palace of Versailles, the leaders “acknowledged the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine” and noted that its membership application had been “swiftly” transmitted to the European Commission for “its opinion” — the initial stage of a long process toward being declared a candidate country and beginning membership talks.

While the statement was unequivocal in voicing the EU’s intention to help Ukraine, including with political and financial assistance and temporary protection for refugees, it did not offer the guarantee of membership that Zelenskyy had requested.

A number of EU countries, led by the Netherlands, had insisted that there was no way to shortcut the lengthy accession process, even for Ukraine, which is under active military attack by Russia.