EU to Launch Accession Talks with Ukraine and Moldova on Monday

The European Union is set to commence accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on Monday, marking a significant step forward after years of obstruction by Hungary. The EU Council presidency confirmed that member states have agreed on a common position for the initial phase of talks, completing the necessary preparations after Hungary lifted its veto.

Initially, the formal EU accession talks with Ukraine were slated to begin in June 2024. However, Hungary, under Viktor Orbán's leadership, had blocked the opening of the first negotiation segment. The political shift following the election of Peter Magyar as Hungary's new Prime Minister in April paved the way for progress in the process.

Magyar had made the approval of EU accession talks conditional on reaching an agreement with Ukraine regarding the strengthening of minority rights for ethnic Hungarians residing in the neighboring country. He announced a deal on this matter last week, which subsequently cleared the path for Hungary's consent.

The accession process is divided into six clusters, comprising a total of 33 chapters, with two additional chapters negotiated separately. In the first cluster, countries must demonstrate that their judicial systems and public administration meet EU standards. The negotiation period typically spans several years, and success is not guaranteed. For instance, EU accession talks with Turkey, initiated in 2005, remain entirely stalled due to the country's ongoing setbacks in democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.