EU to make second attempt to secure Hungary's backing for Ukraine accession talks

EU member states will make a second attempt on July 22 to persuade Hungary to approve the next stage of Ukraine's accession process during a meeting of the Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA).

The discussions will focus on approving the screening results for negotiating clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine and Moldova, a procedural step required before the European Union can formally invite the two countries to submit their negotiating positions, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

According to European Pravda, Ireland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, hopes to begin preparations for opening additional negotiating clusters before the summer recess, allowing an intergovernmental conference to be held as early as September.

The July 22 meeting will be COELA's final session before the summer break.

At a previous meeting on July 17, Hungary blocked the start of the process for opening clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine, although it supported opening cluster 3 for Moldova. That proposal did not receive sufficient backing from other EU member states, and no decision was adopted.

Ukraine opened its sixth negotiating cluster, covering External Relations, on July 14 in Brussels. Hungarian opposition had previously delayed the opening of clusters 2 to 6, although Budapest later lifted its veto on cluster 6.

By Sabina Mammadli