Hungary may ease its veto on advancing talks on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
The Financial Times reports this, citing two European officials.
According to the sources, Hungary’s Prime Minister Peter Magyar instructed diplomats not to block the sending of letters to Ukraine and Moldova regarding the possible opening of two more negotiating clusters linked to the internal market and competitiveness.
This could be a procedural but important step towards further advancing Ukraine’s and Moldova’s candidacies on the path to EU membership.
At the same time, Budapest’s full political support will depend on whether Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada passes, on 12 October, a law to expand opportunities for education for national minorities. The issue of the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine has long remained one of Budapest’s key concerns.
According to the FT, passing the law could make it possible to formally begin the procedure for opening new negotiating clusters ahead of the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels.
Read alsoUkraine and Moldova could open two more clusters of EU accession talks, says Commissioner Kos
“Ukraine’s path to accession is taking shape with due process being followed,” said a European official familiar with the talks with Budapest.
If the opening of the two clusters is agreed, Ukraine and Moldova will still have two areas yet to be opened — the “green” agenda, as well as agriculture and cohesion.
At the same time, the European Commission is preparing proposals to change the EU enlargement rules.
Brussels is considering the possibility of significantly restricting Ukraine’s access to the EU agricultural market and payments under agricultural programmes after the country’s potential accession to the bloc.
It is also proposed to link the allocation of funds more closely to the implementation of reforms and to provide for clearer sanctions if a candidate state backtracks on the principles of the rule of law.
- By the end of 2026, the European Union may open more negotiating clusters on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, and the process will be based on our country’s merits, without privileges.