EU agrees launch of accession process for Ukraine and Moldova

Progress for Kyiv’s membership bid given the green light after Hungary’s new government lifts Budapest’s veto.The European Union has announced that the Accession Process for Ukraine and Moldova will launch next week.At a meeting in Brussels on Friday, ambassadors from the 27 EU nations agreed to officially recommence negotiations with the two countries in Luxembourg on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Moldova holds parliamentary elections hit by claims of Russian interferencelist 2 of 3‘Ukraine is only first’: Zelenskyy warns against Putin’s expansionist goalslist 3 of 3Moldova detains 74 people over alleged Russia-backed plot before electionsend of listEU leaders agreed to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova in December 2023. However, negotiations were paused due to opposition from Hungary, led at the time by pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to Kyiv’s membership bid.Both Kyiv and Chisinau view EU membership as additional security against Russian aggression. Moscow insists that maintaining control over its “near abroad” – its term for the post-Soviet states – is key to its national security.“All member states agreed to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova,” European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint social media post.Hungary’s new government, which took power in May, agreed last week to drop Orban’s veto, allowing the Accession Process to resume.“This is a recognition of the determination, courage and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges,” Costa and von der Leyen said.“Enlargement is a strategic choice,” they said, adding, “In a world marked by growing uncertainty, a larger European Union is in our common interest.”Entry negotiations with Kyiv were formally opened in June 2024, kickstarting a complex process that usually takes years and involves negotiations on everything from agriculture to the rule of law.