Hungary Lifts Veto, Ukraine and Moldova Advance EU Accession Talks

Ukraine and Moldova have moved closer to EU membership after Hungary agreed to no longer block the opening of the next phase of accession negotiations. This breakthrough follows an agreement between Budapest and Kyiv on the rights of Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarian minority, resolving a dispute that had stalled Ukraine’s membership bid for almost two years.

EU ambassadors in Brussels approved the move, clearing the way for the first formal cluster of negotiations, known as the «fundamentals» cluster, which addresses rule of law, human rights, and judicial reform. This marks a significant development since Ukraine formally applied for EU membership in February 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine and Moldova were granted candidate status later that year and formally opened accession negotiations in June 2024.

Hungary’s new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, announced on Wednesday that a «historic agreement» was reached concerning the linguistic, educational, and cultural rights of approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine. This prompted Hungary to support accelerated negotiations. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee welcomed the decision, calling it a «historic milestone» and a clear signal of the countries’ future within the EU.

Despite this progress, EU membership remains a lengthy process, requiring negotiations across 33 policy chapters and unanimous approval from all member states. Magyar emphasized that Hungary does not support any fast-track route for Ukraine and indicated a referendum would be held in Hungary if Ukraine completes all accession chapters. Ireland, taking over the rotating presidency of the EU Council next month, has identified EU enlargement as a priority.