According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Politico Europe, officials in Brussels are pushing for Ukraine to officially begin negotiating its accession to the European Union as early as next month.
The report states that five unnamed diplomats revealed their goal to kick off formal negotiations on June 25th. Meanwhile, diplomats from both the EU and Kyiv are working hard to persuade the Hungarian government, which has been traditionally opposed to Ukraine’s EU membership.
The war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia’s invasion, has entered its third year, with Ukraine long aspiring to join Western alliances.
In a historic decision last December, EU leaders agreed to initiate talks for Ukraine’s membership. However, due to Hungary’s opposition, the formal legal process for starting the negotiations was delayed.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has previously opposed EU aid packages for Ukraine but eventually approved a €50 billion additional support plan in efforts led by EU leaders in February this year.
Informed diplomats disclosed that Brussels and Kyiv are engaging in intensive bilateral diplomacy with Budapest to address issues concerning the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
Following a phone call between Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, and Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Foreign Minister in April, progress has been made. According to a diplomat, Kyiv has responded to Budapest’s 11 demands and is now waiting for Hungary’s response.
An EU diplomat suggested that initiating membership negotiations before the European Parliament elections on June 9th could turn it into an election issue. On the other hand, officials in Brussels speculate that Hungary may aim to resolve the Ukraine accession talks before taking over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on July 1st, hence setting the negotiation date in the final week of June.
Once the accession negotiations commence, EU countries must reach a consensus on the so-called negotiation framework draft.
Since the European Commission issued the draft to 27 governments in March, countries have been bargaining over it. Two diplomats indicated that technical negotiations have been progressing smoothly so far, and they anticipate submitting a new draft to EU country representatives in the coming weeks.