Hungarian authorities continue to block the start of talks on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, despite the desire of EU member states to start negotiations at the end of June, Bloomberg writes.
Sources familiar with the situation told the agency that the EU intends to start negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the union on June 25. Belgium, which will hold the EU presidency until the end of June, insists on starting negotiations during its term. On July 1, the EU presidency will pass to Budapest and the talks could be postponed. Hungary has been blocking a decision to start talks between Kyiv and the EU, citing concerns about the situation of Hungarian minorities in western Ukraine.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Kyiv has complied with Budapest’s demands. In March, the European Commission proposed a negotiating framework in case the EU approves Ukraine’s application submitted in December.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Kyiv has complied with Budapest’s demands. In March, the European Commission proposed a negotiating structure in case the EU approves Ukraine’s application submitted in December.
As Bloomberg notes, in case Hungary and the rest of the EU countries approve the negotiations, consideration of Ukraine’s membership in the union could take years. For example, Croatia, the last country to join the EU, applied in 2003 and was only able to become a member of the EU in 2013.
Late last year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he was against the negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. According to him, Kyiv is not ready to join the union because Ukraine does not meet the criteria for EU membership.
Ukraine applied for EU membership immediately after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. On November 8, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on EU inclusion. However, Brussels stressed that the talks should officially start after Kyiv fulfills the remaining conditions for starting the accession process.
In particular, Kyiv should strengthen the fight against corruption, adopt a law on lobbying in line with European standards and strengthen guarantees for national minorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the European Commission’s decision that “the history of Ukraine and the whole of Europe has taken a step in the right direction” and instructed the government to start preparations for the negotiations.
Vladimir Putin earlier noted that Russia has never been against Ukraine’s inclusion in the EU. “We have always been against the military development of Ukrainian territory because it threatens our security. This is what we were against. But as for economic integration – for God’s sake, it’s their choice”, Putin noted.
