Hungary opposed sending a letter to the European Council and the European Commission setting out the common position of all 27 EU member states on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. Politico reported this, citing two sources.
The letter was to serve as the next procedural step after the June 15 decision in which EU countries approved opening the first negotiating cluster for Ukraine and Moldova. Approval of the letter requires unanimity among all 27 states, so the matter will be discussed again next week.
The opening of the first negotiating cluster had long been blocked by former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, who opposed Ukraine joining the EU. His successor, Peter Magyar, did not object to the start of talks but insisted on removing the wording “as soon as possible” in relation to Ukraine’s membership.
Last week, Magyar also said Hungary “does not consider it a good idea” to open all six negotiating clusters at the same time.
“Partly because the ink on the documents for the first cluster is not yet dry, and partly because it would send the wrong signal to the Western Balkan countries — Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia — which have been working toward joining the European Union for many years,” he said.
EU countries have been discussing the terms of possible accession for Ukraine and Moldova for a long time, with Moldova’s application being linked to Ukraine’s. Kyiv wants a fast-track process, but according to the Financial Times, France and Germany did not support that approach.
The newspaper reported that Berlin proposed giving Ukraine the status of an “associated member”, under which it would take part in meetings of EU ministers and leaders but would not have voting rights or “automatic access” to the bloc’s common budget.