All member states of the European Union have agreed to commence negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to initiate the first cluster in their EU accession process. Cyprus, currently holding the EU presidency, endorsed the initiative and began preparations for the official start of talks, addressing issues of rule of law and democratic standards.
Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Affairs, expressed hope for the swift opening of all six clusters that encompass the main fields of European legislation necessary to align Ukrainian law with EU standards. It is anticipated that the next approval to start negotiations will be given at the EU General Affairs Council meeting and the European leaders’ summit on June 18–19, 2026. Concurrently, technical consultations between Ukraine and Hungary are underway, potentially facilitating the opening of additional negotiation clusters in June.
Meanwhile, Estonia urged the acceleration of Ukraine’s accession process by activating all six clusters before the June summit, while Germany and France proposed granting Ukraine associate EU membership status or symbolic benefits during the transitional period. Nevertheless, Estonian officials emphasized adhering to the existing enlargement methodology without alternative formats. The primary cluster addresses key issues such as public administration reform, the rule of law, and democracy; it is being initiated as the starting point for the negotiation process. The subsequent clusters cover internal market, competitiveness, environmental policy, agricultural sector, and external relations.
The European Commission’s ambitious plans to expedite Ukraine’s accession by 2027 are currently under review due to the lack of unanimous support among member states.
