Hungary says minority rights deal unlocked Ukraine's first EU accession talks

Hungary's EU envoy, Péter Magyar, has revealed that a bilateral agreement securing linguistic, cultural, political, and educational rights for the Hungarian minority was crucial for Budapest's approval of the initial stage of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. He described this agreement as "historic."

Magyar clarified that while the first negotiation stage has opened, there is division among EU member states regarding the speed of opening subsequent stages. Some nations favor opening all phases immediately, while others prefer a more gradual approach. Hungary, he explained, supports a process based on concrete merits and achieved results.

He cautioned against a "double standard" in EU enlargement, where Ukraine's integration might proceed faster than that of the Western Balkan countries. "There can be no two different approaches to EU expansion," Magyar emphasized, calling for fairness and pragmatism.

Finding consensus among the 27 member states is challenging, Magyar acknowledged, but he pledged to continue working on the issue. He noted the distinction between prepared documents and the actual discussions held within negotiation rooms. Ukraine officially began its first accession talks, dubbed "Foundations," on June 15, following the agreement on minority rights that resolved Hungary's prior veto. Optimistic projections suggest negotiations for all six accession stages could commence by the end of July.