Negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU will commence on June 25. The permanent representatives of the European Union countries have agreed on the framework for accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. This was announced by the Belgian presidency of the EU on the X social media platform.
Ukraine submitted its application for EU membership on February 28, 2022, five days after Russia’s full-scale invasion. EU leaders supported granting candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova at the European Council summit on June 23, 2022.
The EU decided to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on December 14. Hungary opposes Ukraine’s accession to the EU and demands changes from Kyiv concerning corruption, minority rights, agriculture, trade, and good neighborly relations. However, the EU expected Hungary to agree to the start of negotiations before the beginning of its presidency.
Membership negotiations can take years even with the green light from EU member states, as the path to membership is lengthy and complex. Croatia was the most recent country to join the bloc, with its application process lasting 10 years before officially being accepted in 2013.
Since March 31, Bulgaria and Romania have become members of the Schengen Zone, but so far, the new rules only apply to airports and seaports.
