EU Organizes Shortcut to Ukrainian Membership

The EU’s work to bring Ukraine and Moldova closer to membership appears to be moving faster than previous projections. In the midst of the ongoing war with Russia, diplomatic sources within the union report that there are discussions about formally initiating the next phase of the accession process as early as this month.

This involves opening the first of six so-called negotiation clusters, a central part of the path toward full EU membership. If the timeline holds, it would mean that the process is advancing slightly earlier than previously communicated, according to reports from, among others, Ukrainian media.

Diplomats from several EU countries state that the goal is to hold an intergovernmental conference on June 15 in connection with a meeting of the Union’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

If this is not possible, the following days are also alternatives. However, no final decision on the date has yet been made.

Despite the progress, one of the biggest challenges in the process remains—Hungary’s resistance. The Hungarian government under Viktor Orbán has blocked further steps in Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession negotiations, citing the situation of the Hungarian minority in western Ukraine.

The Hungarian government has presented eleven demands linked to the rights of the minority. According to Ukrainian media reports, nine of these demands have already been met, while technical talks between the countries are still ongoing.

EU Pressures the New Government

Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar has previously emphasized that the issue must be resolved before the country is prepared to withdraw its veto. At the same time, the EU has increased its pressure on Hungary by offering to release billions in aid that had been frozen during Orbán’s tenure, but which von der Leyen has announced will be released step by step as Hungary meets their demands.

If the negotiation cluster opens in mid-June, the EU could achieve its goal before Cyprus’ presidency of the EU Council of Ministers concludes. It would also give the Union’s leaders a concrete result to highlight at the summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 18.

Such a message would be seen as another step in Ukraine’s long-term ambition to become a full-fledged member of the EU.