Ukraine President Zelenskyy makes emotional appeal for EU membership

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that “a Ukraine that is winning” should become a European Union member

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked his Western allies on February 9 for more weapons and said “a Ukraine that is winning” its war with Russia should become a member of the European Union, arguing the bloc won’t be complete without it.

At the close of a 16-hour summit that ended on Friday when Mr. Zelenskyy was already gone, the EU leaders pledged they would do all it takes to back Ukraine but offered no firm timetable for EU membership talks to begin as Mr. Zelenskyy had hoped.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the leaders agreed to support Ukraine “tirelessly, over the long term … to win the war".

EU leaders pledged to look over the next month at boosting ammunition production for Ukraine's war effort as it faces fresh challenges from Russia.

EU Council President Charles Michel said the bloc needs to “cooperate with the industrial sector and to ensure that we can speed up the level of production of ammunition and that they can also fulfill the commitments that are needed.”

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that a new €10-billion sanctions package under discussion would focus on depriving Russia of military goods it needs and cannot get anywhere else.