The European Commission is set to propose opening the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on June 16th, according to Euractiv.
The proposal will be presented to Europe ministers in Brussels, paving the way for European Union leaders to approve the move at a summit two days later.
Ukraine’s EU membership bid had long been delayed by opposition from Viktor Orbán, whose government repeatedly blocked its progress. The conservative government pointed to deep corruption in Europe, the fact that Ukraine is still at war with Russia, and also warned of the harm caused by incorporating such a huge economy would do to Europe.
However, after losing April’s Hungarian parliamentary election, Budapest has adopted a less confrontational tone under new, pro-Brussels prime minister Péter Magyar. While not openly backing Ukrainian membership, Magyar is expected to link Hungary’s support to demands for the release of frozen EU funds.
Debate continues over what form Ukrainian membership could take. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently suggested an “associate member” status without full voting rights, an idea rejected by Kyiv.
EU accession talks are divided into six negotiating “clusters,” each requiring unanimous approval from all 27 member states. The first cluster focuses on democratic institutions, the economy, and the rule of law, and is expected to remain open until the end of negotiations.
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