EU ambassadors agreed on the framework for the EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova, allowing talks to start on June 25, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU announced on June 14.
EU and Ukrainian officials are reportedly pushing for the talks to start by June 25 before Hungary takes the presidency of the Council of the EU in July.
"Ambassadors agreed in principle on the negotiating frameworks for the accession negotiations of Ukraine and Moldova," the Belgian presidency said on X. "The Belgian presidency will call the first intergovernmental conferences on June 25."
The European Commission announced on June 7 that it supported the start of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
For talks to begin, the EU needs to unanimously agree that Ukraine has undertaken measures to improve issues like corruption and the protection of minority languages. Hungary is expected to raise objections, mainly regarding minority rights.
Budapest has repeatedly claimed that the Hungarian ethnic minority concentrated in southwestern Ukraine is discriminated against due to Kyiv's language laws.
Ukraine denies the allegations and updated its national minorities law at the end of 2023 in line with the EU's recommendations.
Ukraine received EU membership candidate status in June 2022. In November 2023, the European Commission recommended launching accession talks with Kyiv. The European Council then agreed in December to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
Philippe Legrain
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