The European Union formally opened the first stage of accession negotiations with Ukraine on Monday, ending a two-year delay caused by a Hungarian veto.
The talks in Luxembourg, confirmed by a spokesman for the Council of the EU, mark an important milestone on the war-torn country’s path to membership.
In the initial phase of negotiations, known as the first cluster, countries must demonstrate, among other things, that their judicial system and public administration meet EU standards.
The accession negotiation process is divided into six thematic clusters comprising a total of 33 chapters. An additional two chapters are negotiated outside the clusters.
The EU formally launched accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova in June 2024. However, the opening of the first negotiating cluster with Ukraine was blocked by Hungary under then-prime minister Viktor Orbán.
Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, recently announced that he had reached an agreement with Ukraine on measures to strengthen the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority in the country. Magyar had made such an agreement a condition for lifting Budapest’s veto of Ukraine’s EU accession talks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the opening of the first negotiating cluster a “huge step forward” and praised Ukraine for making remarkable progress on reforms.
Long talks ahead
Accession countries must fully align themselves with EU law and standards. This means that negotiations usually last years, and there is no guarantee that they will be successfully concluded.
Current EU members have to unanimously agree to open and close negotiation chapters, which carries the risk of deadlock.
The EU launched accession talks with Turkey in 2005, but they are now fully on hold amid concerns over democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
In Ukraine’s case, accession talks are expected to last at least a decade and would only be concluded after Russia’s war against Ukraine has ended.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently proposed a special “associate” status for Kiev until the country can fully join the EU, which could allow Ukraine to participate in EU summits and ministerial meetings without having any voting rights.
Merz’s idea, however, has been met with resistance in Ukraine over fears that such a special status could sideline the country instead of bringing it closer to EU membership.
Corruption as major hurdle to EU membership
Corruption and the lack of the rule of law are seen as two main areas of reform for Ukraine.
Over the past decade, Kiev has established several new institutions aimed at combating corruption, but some of these agencies have themselves faced allegations of misconduct and have become embroiled in investigations.
Ukraine’s tax system is also seen as another major challenge, with rates generally below minimum EU benchmarks.
At times, even in peacetime, government revenues have been insufficient to fully cover public spending and Kiev has been reliant on foreign aid.