EU opens first negotiation cluster with Ukraine and Moldova, unblocking accession talks after Hungarian veto lifted

The breakthrough

The European Union opened the first so-called negotiation cluster with Ukraine on Monday, marking the start of substantive accession talks four years after the country received candidate status and two years after formal negotiations began. The same day, the bloc also opened the first cluster with Moldova. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos called it a 'mega Monday' for the enlargement process.

“It was high time that we also kept our word.”

The commissioner stressed that both countries had delivered on required reforms. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration Taras Kaczka described the moment as crossing the Rubicon, saying the Ukrainian public views EU membership as a formalisation of a visible national dream.

The path to this point

Ukraine submitted its membership application on 28 February 2022, four days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Moldova followed on 3 March 2022. Both received candidate status in June 2022, and their accession processes were subsequently linked. Formal accession negotiations began in June 2024, but progress on specific chapters was blocked by Hungary. The government of Viktor Orbán exploited the unanimity requirement for EU enlargement decisions, citing a dispute over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region.

The deadlock was resolved after a government change in Budapest. The government of Péter Magyar officially withdrew the Hungarian veto last Friday, as part of a broader reset package between Budapest and Brussels. Ukraine and Hungary negotiated compromises on minority language rights, though the political thaw following the leadership change was the main factor, according to the sources.

“We have a truly European policy on national minorities, which allows us to implement our national identity policy and protect national minorities in a way reflected in the EU Treaty.”

What the first cluster covers

Negotiations begin with the first of six thematic clusters, dealing with 'fundamental issues': the judiciary, civil liberties, security, public procurement and financial control. Under EU procedure, this cluster is opened first and will be closed last, functioning as a benchmark throughout the accession process. Ukraine and Moldova will ultimately need to open and close all six clusters before membership.

The road ahead

Poland, Germany and France have rejected proposals to shorten Ukraine's accession path, pushing any potential entry date to at least the late 2030s, according to Polityka.pl. A concept of 'reversed accession' (Ukraina w przedpokoju Unii) was discussed but opposed by Warsaw and other capitals. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa issued a joint statement calling the step 'recognition of the determination, courage and hard work of both countries in implementing reforms even in the face of enormous challenges' and describing enlargement as 'our strategic choice'.