Brussels, 13 June 2026
After the end of the Hungarian blockade, all 27 EU member states approved the opening of the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine and Moldova, as the Cypriot Council Presidency announced in the evening.
This brings movement back into the accession process of the two former Soviet republics, which had been stalled for years. While formal negotiations between the EU and the two countries had already begun in June 2024, the opening of the first negotiation chapter was subsequently blocked by Hungary with a veto. Following the change of government in Budapest, the blockade has now been lifted, allowing the EU member states to agree on a common position for the first chapter and complete the necessary preparations.
Background: How the blockade came about
Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar had tied his country's approval to an agreement with Ukraine on the protection of the minority rights of ethnic Hungarians in the neighboring country. According to Magyar, this agreement was reached last week and paved the way for the end of Hungarian resistance. His predecessor, Viktor Orbán, who had held the office for many years, was voted out in April.
The first negotiation chapter, officially referred to as the first cluster, requires accession candidates to demonstrate that they are bringing their judiciary and public administration into line with EU standards. In total, the EU accession process comprises six thematic clusters with a total of 33 chapters; two further chapters are negotiated outside the clusters.