Hungary Halts Ukraine's EU Accession Talks

Hungary has blocked the commencement of the second and third negotiation stages for Ukraine's accession to the European Union, according to reports from Delfi and UNIAN. This move has stalled the EU accession processes for both Ukraine and Moldova.

Budapest initially approved the start of Moldova's third stage but faced opposition from a majority of EU member states regarding a joint approach for Ukraine and Moldova. This disagreement prevented any decision from being made, with sources indicating that Hungary's stance was the primary obstacle.

EU countries were expected to confirm on July 17 whether Ukraine and Moldova were ready to begin discussions on the second and third negotiation stages. Following this confirmation, both nations would be asked to formally present their positions. However, the lack of consensus, with some member states insisting on considering Ukraine and Moldova's applications together, led to the postponement of the decision.

The matter is now scheduled for further discussion at a COELA meeting on July 22, which is the last session before the summer break. If no agreement is reached on this date, progress on Ukraine and Moldova's accession talks could be delayed until at least autumn, with expert work resuming in September.

This is not the first time Hungary has impeded Ukraine's EU accession talks. In June, Hungary also paused negotiations over a joint letter from all 27 EU countries, jeopardizing Kyiv's plan to initiate all six negotiation stages by mid-July. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyaras has previously stated that EU expansion should be gradual and consider the long-standing applications of Western Balkan countries.