EU Begins Accession Negotiations with Ukraine

The EU has begun accession negotiations with Ukraine. Representatives from both sides officially launched talks on the first set of topics in Luxembourg on Monday evening, a spokesperson for the Council of Member States told the news agency dpa.

The first phase of negotiations will focus on topics such as the judicial system, the protection of fundamental values, and security. Candidate countries must demonstrate, among other things, that their legal systems, border protection, and police forces meet EU standards.

Following a two-year stalemate caused by a Hungarian blockade, the opening of the first phase of negotiations is seen as an important signal to Ukraine that its reform efforts are paying off. The country, which has been attacked by Russia, will now have to demonstrate during the negotiations—which are expected to last for years—that it is ready for EU accession. This will also require numerous additional reforms, for example in the area of anti-corruption.

Accession negotiations with Moldova were also set to begin later in the evening. Ukraine’s neighbor also had to wait two years for talks to begin due to the Hungarian blockade.

New Hungarian Prime Minister Brings About a Turnaround

EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova had actually already formally begun in June 2024. However, the opening of the first phase of negotiations with Ukraine, which had been attacked by Russia, was then blocked by Hungary’s veto. It was only after the ouster of Viktor Orbán, the long-time pro-Russian head of government, in April that the process gained momentum again.

In early June, Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced an agreement with Ukraine on a deal to strengthen the minority rights of ethnic Hungarians in its eastern neighbor. Magyar had made such an agreement a condition for approving EU accession talks with Ukraine.

In addition to Ukraine and Moldova, the Western Balkan countries of Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo are particularly eager to join the EU. According to the latest analysis by the European Commission, Montenegro is the furthest along in the EU accession process—negotiators have now met in Luxembourg for the 27th round of talks.

The country, with a population of only about 620,000, was recently told it could complete accession negotiations by the end of 2026 if it maintains the pace of reforms. Von der Leyen recently said at a Western Balkans summit that it is “within reach” for Montenegro to become the 28th EU member state by 2028.

Wadephul: “Historic Moment”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Luxembourg that Ukraine still has a long way to go and the goal will not be reached tomorrow. Nevertheless, he noted, this is about more than just symbolism, and the start of negotiations marks a “historic moment for Europe and also for Ukraine.” “If you don’t start, you won’t get anywhere,” he said.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the opening of negotiations on the first set of issues on the sidelines of the G7 summit as a “huge step forward.” Ukraine has made remarkable progress on reforms, she said.