EU Announces Preparations to Open First Cluster of Talks with Ukraine and Moldova

The European Union Council presidency has announced the commencement of preparations to formally open the first cluster of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. This significant step forward was made possible by a recent agreement between Hungary and Ukraine concerning the rights of the Hungarian minority residing in Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar had previously stated that the Ukrainian government committed to integrating agreed-upon measures into its legal system. This commitment ensures that Hungarians in Zakarpattia will receive broader rights than they currently hold.

European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Marta Kosová, welcomed the agreement on X, noting it "opens the way for progress on Ukraine's path to EU membership." She indicated that EU member states can now proceed with preparations to open the first of six thematic clusters in the accession negotiations. The EU Council presidency described the announcement as a "significant milestone."

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opens the way for progress on Ukraine's path to EU membership.