The permanent representatives of the member states of the European Union (EU) were once again unable to make a decision on the start of negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the European Union — Hungary opposed it.
Interfax-Ukraine reports this with reference to an unnamed high-ranking European diplomat.
"The discussion is over. Everyone knows that the European Commission believes that Moldova and Ukraine have completed their terms, and we should hold an intergovernmental conference. It was very clear at the meeting. Many countries said they agreed with this, but Hungary again stated that it has conditions that still need to be met, otherwise it will not be able to accept the Commissionʼs assessment," the diplomat told the publication.
Another high-ranking diplomat noted that Hungary "made the same rhetoric as last time," about allegedly insufficient progress made by Ukraine to protect national minorities.
"Hungary again mentioned 11 issues, read two amendments to the negotiating framework on good neighborly relations and national minorities, mentioning that we [the EU] also need to move forward with Serbia and Albania. The rest of us in the debate, all but Hungary, are loud and clear in their support of the Commissionʼs assessment and have rejected the introduction of new requirements. We are all in favor of holding an intergovernmental conference on June 25," the diplomat told Interfax.
Discussions will continue next week. According to the publicationʼs sources, Budapest will probably compromise by giving a "green light" to Ukraine and Moldova for the sake of progress for the countries of the Western Balkans.
Back in March 2024, the European Commission prepared a negotiating framework for Ukraineʼs membership in the EU. And already today, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the European Union. Belgium, which currently presides over the EU, previously spoke of its intention to organize an intergovernmental conference with Ukraine in June. That is, the actual start of negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the EU should take place before the end of the Belgian presidency of the bloc — Hungary will take over from July 1.
When will we become a member of the EU?
This will happen only after Ukraine fulfills all requirements and fully implements all European standards.
There are various examples in the history of EU enlargement. Finland applied in 1992, and already in 1995 it became a member of the European Union. Poland applied in 1994 and joined the EU 10 years later. The last country to join the European Union is Croatia. It applied in 2003 and became a new member of the EU in 2013.
There are also countries that still remain candidates for admission. These are four Balkan countries: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Turkey has the same status. But in all these countries the process is stalled. Turkey does not meet the requirements of the EU at all and shows no desire to join it. In Serbia, the majority of the population does not want to join the European Union, and the country itself has close ties with Russia. Albania has not even started accession negotiations, and in Montenegro, with the change of government, the foreign policy orientation is also changing — sometimes towards the EU, then towards Serbia. North Macedonia is doing the most to join the European Union, but its progress is being blocked by its neighbors. First Greece demanded to change the name — and the Macedonians did it, now Bulgaria demands from North Macedonia to recognize that its people and language have Bulgarian roots and come from Bulgaria.
The most important thing is that after receiving candidate status, everything depends on the Ukrainian authorities. It received a clear list of reforms that must be implemented, and society has the opportunity to control this process. In addition, the candidate status will mean access to the financial funds of the European Union — in fact, the EU itself will provide money for reforms. One thing can be said for sure: the sooner Ukraine reforms, the sooner it can become a member of the EU.