EU opens first accession chapter for Ukraine and Moldova, ending two-year Hungarian blockade

Mega Monday in Luxembourg

EU foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg on Monday to formally open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, launching the first negotiating cluster known as Fundamentals. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called it a "mega Monday," noting that both countries had delivered on reforms and it was "really time for us to do this." The first cluster covers core issues: rule of law, judicial independence, anti-corruption and human rights. The Cypriot deputy minister for European affairs, Marilena Raouna, speaking for the EU Presidency, described the day as "a historic day for both Ukraine and Europe," calling the opening a "critical and long-awaited milestone."

A veto lifted and a minority-rights deal

The breakthrough came after Hungary's new prime minister, Peter Magyar, reached an agreement with Ukraine on measures to protect the ethnic Hungarian minority, removing the two-year veto imposed by his predecessor Viktor Orban. Orban, a close ally of Russia, had blocked all progress, warning that Ukraine's accession would intensify farm competition and drain EU funds. His ouster in spring elections allowed Magyar to lift the barrier, clearing the way for the ceremonial intergovernmental conference. European Council President Antonio Costa, speaking from the G7 summit in Evian, called the step "a historic step towards Ukraine's future within the EU."

What the Fundamentals cluster demands

Ukraine now faces the lengthy process of aligning its laws and institutions with EU standards across 35 negotiation chapters grouped into six clusters. The Fundamentals cluster, always the first to open and the last to close, demands commitments on democratic institutions, economic criteria, public administration reform, and the protection of basic rights such as privacy and expression. Behind the scenes, Ukraine had been working informally with the European Commission to steer through necessary legislative changes despite the official blockade.

Corruption probe looms

One of the most sensitive areas is anti-corruption. A major scandal late last year triggered Ukraine's first wartime political crisis, with investigators alleging a "criminal group" laundered $10.4 million to build luxury estates near Kyiv. The probe forced President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sack his powerful head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, who denies the allegations. The investigation, led by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, has been praised by European officials as a sign that Kyiv's reform institutions can function even under pressure.

A decade-long horizon

Despite the fanfare, EU officials and diplomats cautioned that full membership remains years away, perhaps more than a decade. A European diplomat told AFP that "the prospect of Ukraine enlargement happening soon never was realistic." Hungary's Prime Minister Magyar has pledged to hold a referendum if Ukraine completes the negotiations "within the next 10 to 15 years." Moldova, with a smaller administration, is expected to advance faster, but for Kyiv the path is long. Zelenskyy, speaking from Chisinau alongside Moldova's leadership, said the development "sends a clear message that Europe's progress cannot be stopped."