All members of the European Union have agreed to open talks with Ukraine and Moldova on the first cluster of issues in their accession negotiations. This was disclosed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko early on Thursday, describing the development as fantastic news and stating that they are one step closer to EU membership.
Cyprus, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said on X that it had started preparing to formally open negotiations on the first group of chapters, which cover rule of law and democratic standards, with both countries. It was described as a significant milestone in their European integration path that sends a strong message of EU unity and determination.
The presidency stated that it would work towards finalising the discussions for the formal opening. Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said his country and Ukraine had reached an agreement on the rights of the 100,000-strong Hungarian minority in Ukraine, a long-running dispute that Magyar had previously said was essential for Budapest to agree to Ukraine joining the EU.
Both Ukraine and Moldova are pressing for membership of the 27-member EU after more than four years of war pitting Kyiv against Moscow. The formal opening of negotiations is expected to take place in the coming weeks, pending final preparations by the Cypriot presidency. The process is likely to take many years, as candidate countries must align their laws and standards with the extensive body of EU regulations.
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