European Union dashes Ukraine's hopes of quick membership

The Russian invasion - the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two - has upended Europe's security order and spurred EU capitals into rethinking what the bloc should stand for, its economic, defence and energy policies.

The EU was swift in imposing sweeping sanctions and offering political and humanitarian support to Ukraine, as well as some arms supplies, in the days after Russia attacked on Feb. 24.

However, cracks have appeared in the bloc's united front, from its reaction to Kyiv's demand for an accelerated membership of the wealthy club to how fast it can wean itself off Russian fossil fuels and how best to shape an economic response.

"Nobody entered the European Union overnight," Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said as talks among the 27 national leaders ended at wee hours on Friday.

The leaders' chairman, Charles Michel said in a show of sympathy and moral support: "Ukraine belongs to the European family."

But others made clear Ukraine would not be allowed to join hastily, something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has sought and which has some support from Ukraine's neighbours on the EU's eastern flank.

"It will take time, months, maybe years before you get to anything," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a prominent opponent of EU enlargement, while adding the bloc would continue deepening ties with Kyiv.

Joining the EU is a process that usually takes years and requires meeting strict criteria from economic stability to rooting out corruption to respecting liberal human rights.

The leaders resume at 0900 GMT on Friday to consider the policy to tackle defence and energy spending related to the war in Ukraine. Divisions have emerged over the possibility of a new joint EU debt issuance, advocated by countries like France and Italy but opposed by Germany, the Netherlands and others.