BRUSSELS - The European Union will strengthen ties with Ukraine "to support Ukraine on its European path," the leaders of the 27 EU countries decided at a summit in Versailles. Prime Minister Mark Rutte stressed to NOS afterward that possible EU Membership is a long process. "What we established tonight is that we are family in Europe," he said. "But for the short term, of course, we have to make sure that we support Zelenskyy and his government."

Poland and the Baltic states, among others, wanted to agree to Ukraine's fervent wish to join the EU as soon as possible and to grant the besieged country the status of candidate member. But the Netherlands and several other EU countries do not want to cut corners in the arduous and lengthy accession procedure. The long process is "not bad at all because it's really about something," Rutte said to NOS. He said that Ukraine is better helped with more short-term cooperation than a prospect.

The leaders want to "help Ukraine in the accession process," Rutte said. The government in Kyiv can count on the EU countries "looking at how we can give them support there."

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy applied for EU membership at the end of February. "That procedure was started very quickly" and "is now underway," Rutte said.

The meeting at the palace of Versailles was very emotional, according to him. As talks between Ukraine and Russia over a ceasefire fail again and again, the atmosphere was "a little gloomy." As long as talks with Russia are happening, "there is also hope that it can lead to de-escalation. But we are not naive either," Rutte said to NOS. "If you see what Russia is doing now: with cluster bombs, with artillery firing on apartment buildings, that is terrible. In 21st century Europe, that was unimaginable."

The EU now wants to help Ukraine mainly in the short term with practical matters, Rutte said. Like with weapons and humanitarian aid. "Also from the Netherlands. We don't always say what we deliver because we don't want to give too much insight into what Ukraine needs. We are not going to tell the Russians that," he said to NOS.

Last week, EU countries asked the European Commission for advice on the Ukrainian application for membership, the first step in the procedure.