Hungary Delays Ukraine and Moldova’s EU Accession Talks

Hungary has delayed a key procedural step in the EU membership bids of Ukraine and Moldova, Politico reported, citing two EU diplomats. Budapest was the only capital to oppose sending a letter to the European Council and Commission setting out the joint position of the bloc’s 27 member states.

The move requires unanimous approval and will be discussed again next week.

Ukraine and Moldova had recently reached a milestone when EU countries unanimously approved the opening of the first formal negotiating chapter for both countries. Kyiv now hopes to open all six negotiating clusters by mid-July.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has taken a cool stance toward Ukraine’s membership bid. He told reporters that opening all six clusters at once would be a mistake, both because the first had only just been opened and because it would send the wrong message to Western Balkan countries that have spent years working toward EU membership.

(mja)