Media: EU accession talks for Ukraine, Moldova could begin on June 15

Hungary has indicated it will drop its long-standing opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership bid, potentially allowing both Ukraine and Moldova to begin formal accession negotiations in the coming days, four diplomats told POLITICO.

The launch of the first negotiating “cluster” — a formal milestone on the path toward EU membership — is expected to take place at an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on June 15, three of the diplomats said.

Kyiv and Chișinău submitted their EU membership applications simultaneously, meaning Moldova’s accession process can only move forward if Ukraine’s does as well.

Budapest had strongly opposed Ukraine’s accession under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but the country’s new leadership has privately signalled willingness to lift its veto following a meeting between Ukrainian and Hungarian experts focused on minority rights for ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine, according to the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the talks.

A Hungarian official said that “no decision” had yet been taken on opening clusters for Ukraine. “Negotiations are ongoing. No agreement has been reached,” the official said, also speaking anonymously because the discussions are private.

During the talks, the Ukrainian side offered assurances addressing most concerns outlined in an 11-point plan originally drafted under Orbán, one of the diplomats said.

Not all Hungarian demands can be immediately fulfilled, but the diplomat added that Budapest’s consent was not dependent on Ukraine passing new legislation at this stage.

Discussions on Ukraine’s EU path accelerated after Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar travelled to Brussels and met senior EU officials to explore ways to unlock €16.4 billion in frozen EU funds, according to one of the diplomats.

The diplomat added that EU ambassadors are expected to finalise their position on opening the first cluster for Ukraine and Moldova by the end of this week, after Ukraine presents its internal reform plans and addresses minority-related concerns. EU member states would then decide on opening the cluster at the June 15 intergovernmental conference.

Opening negotiation clusters requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. Any member country can block the process at any stage, either at the initial cluster approval or in subsequent steps along the accession path.

By Jeyhun Aghazada