EU prepares to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova; Kramatorsk attack kills three

The European Union is moving forward with preparations to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, ending a two-year stalemate. The current Cypriot EU Council presidency announced that the groundwork for formally launching the first round of talks is underway. Ideally, these discussions could commence as early as June 15 on the sidelines of an EU ministerial meeting in Luxembourg.

These negotiations were initially slated to begin in June 2024 but were subsequently blocked by Hungary's veto. Momentum was restored following the election of a new Hungarian government. Hungary and Ukraine have reportedly reached an agreement concerning the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, a crucial step for Kyiv's EU aspirations. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that his team achieved in three weeks what his predecessor, Viktor Orbán, could not in a decade.

Magyar detailed that the comprehensive agreement enhances educational, linguistic, cultural, and political rights for the over 100,000 members of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine's western Transcarpathian region. Ukraine has committed to legally implementing these changes soon, with the assurances to be included in Ukraine's EU accession action plan. This development marks a significant shift from the previous Hungarian government's stance, which was seen as pro-Russian and frequently obstructed EU initiatives concerning Ukraine.

In parallel, the conflict in Ukraine continues. At least three civilians were killed in a Russian attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, according to Donetsk region governor Vadim Filashkin. In Russia, authorities in St. Petersburg issued warnings of potential Ukrainian drone attacks on the morning of the International Economic Forum, which the city is hosting.

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After three weeks of negotiations with Ukraine, my team has achieved what my predecessor Viktor Orbán could not in a decade.