EU gives green light for Moldova and Ukraine to open Cluster VI talks
The member states of the European Union (EU) have unanimously agreed to begin opening a new cluster in the accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, focusing on external relations. This announcement was made on July 3, as reported by Euronews.
At a technical meeting on Friday, EU member states decided to open the sixth chapter of negotiations—“External Relations”—for the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the bloc. The talks are set to begin on July 14.
This decision to unblock Chapter Six marks a significant step in the accession process for both candidate countries, reflecting a shift in Hungary's stance following Péter Magyar's landslide victory in the elections over Viktor Orbán.
Orbán had previously blocked Ukraine's accession bid for several years due to a dispute regarding the treatment of the Hungarian minority in western Ukraine. However, the new government led by Magyar has been collaborating with the Ukrainian side to address this issue, resulting in the long-awaited opening of the first cluster in early June.
Both the European Commission and Ukraine have been advocating for the opening of the remaining five clusters before the summer break to demonstrate a political commitment to advancing the accession process swiftly.
The Irish presidency of the EU Council, which began on July 1, has adopted a more pragmatic approach, proposing to open one cluster at a time.
Hungary, along with the other 26 member states, has agreed to open Cluster Six, which focuses on external relations, foreign policy, and security—areas that are relatively less controversial compared to others.
The EU's common position for the opening of Cluster Six is expected to be approved on Monday, July 13, followed by a formal opening of negotiations at an Intergovernmental Conference the next day.
