Ukraine’s ambassador to the European Union (EU), Taras Kachka, said that Hungary has asked for a few days to agree the opening of the two final negotiating clusters for Ukraine with the EU, and that Kyiv is hopeful for a positive decision in the coming days.
These concern the cluster on environment and energy and the cluster on agriculture. “We hope that in the coming days it will be comfortable for them to give the green light. Indeed, this is the only country that says it needs a few more days… I hope that, in principle, what was agreed will be implemented,” Kachka emphasised.
Negotiation timeline
Kachka also noted that Ukraine aims to complete negotiations by the end of 2028 and that delays in reforms in the sphere of the rule of law do not break this plan. “We have the potential to do everything within one year. And this experience is not only ours… There are many examples showing that, with full, rapid mobilisation, this is a matter of a year to a year and a half. And these are not excessive expectations; this is an entirely realistic scenario,” he said.
The ambassador cited the example of Lithuania and Slovakia, which began accession negotiations with the EU in February 2000 and completed them in December 2002 — that is, in less than three years — and joined the EU in May 2004. According to him, Ukraine needs to spend less time on internal disputes about which standards should be implemented.
What Hungary and Lithuania are saying
On 5 November Hungary’s foreign minister, Anita Orbán, during a visit to Vilnius said she does not consider Ukraine’s accession to the EU by 2030 realistic. “We do not consider it realistic. We firmly support a process based on merits… Every country must go through the same procedure we went through,” she said, at the same time noting the opening of four of the six negotiating directions and linking this to improved Hungarian–Ukrainian relations and an agreement on protecting the rights of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, believes that accession by 2030 is possible provided Kyiv implements the necessary reforms quickly and the EU completes its stages in good time. “If we on the part of the European Union manage to do everything fast enough, and Ukraine carries out the reforms, it is theoretically possible,” he stressed.
Blocking of the clusters
Earlier Hungary blocked Ukraine’s progress towards the EU because of objections related to the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Zakarpattia. After changes to Ukrainian education legislation, Budapest lifted objections to two clusters, which were opened on 13 October.
However, on 20 and 27 October Hungary refused to agree the results of the assessment of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU norms for the two final clusters — a step required before their opening.
