Hungary has paused the issuance of a joint letter on behalf of all 27 EU member states to the European Council and the European Commission, a crucial step in advancing negotiations on Ukraine’s and Moldova’s European Union membership. This move jeopardizes Kyiv’s plan to commence all six negotiation clusters by mid-July.
According to two EU diplomats, such decisions require unanimous support from all member states, with Hungary the only country to oppose them. The matter is scheduled for discussion next week.
Previously, on June 15, EU nations unanimously approved the opening of the first formal negotiation cluster for Ukraine and Moldova, marking a significant development following prolonged obstruction by Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The applications of Ukraine and Moldova are politically intertwined, meaning the progress of one depends on the other.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka had expressed intentions to initiate all six clusters by mid-July; however, Hungary’s current position could affect this timeline. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar clarified that opening all clusters simultaneously was unreasonable, as it might send an inappropriate signal to Western Balkan countries, which have long been engaged in EU accession efforts.
Although the process is not entirely halted at this stage, the pace of negotiations could slow. For Ukraine, opening all clusters would demonstrate the irreversible nature of its European integration process.
Furthermore, the Hungarian government emphasized the necessity of adhering to agreements regarding increasing the rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. This consideration might influence the EU membership discussions involving Ukraine.
