© picture alliance / NurPhoto | Emmanuele Contini
In a post on social media, Cyprus, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, announced that new negotiations have begun for Ukraine and Moldova to join the EU. These negotiations have become possible now that Hungary has withdrawn its veto.
"Today, the Cypriot Presidency has initiated preparations for the formal opening of cluster 1 in the accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. This marks an important milestone on their path towards European integration and sends a strong signal of the EU's unity and determination," reads X. " In the coming days, we will continue our efforts to finalize discussions in the Council with a view to the formal opening of the cluster. The Cypriot Presidency, guided by a merit-based approach, is moving forward with enlargement, which is a strategic priority and one of the most transformative policies of the European Union."
To begin negotiations, the approval of the current 27 members of the European Union is needed. Under the leadership of former leader Viktor Orbán, Hungary had opposed Ukraine's joining the EU, but new Prime Minister Péter Magyar has a different view. He dropped the Hungarian opposition following an agreement on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine
Because Moldova's accession is linked to Ukraine's, negotiations with Moldova were also on hold. EU members still have to formally approve the opening of the first cluster next week.
The entire accession process includes six thematic clusters around 33 themes. The first cluster revolves around fundamental issues such as the rule of law and human rights. The entire accession procedure could take years, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes for an accelerated accession for his country.
Picture: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Emmanuele Contini