Politico: EU wants to start accession talks with Ukraine in June

The European Union wants to start official negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc on June 25. The Hungarian government is under pressure to drop its opposition to Kyiv's bid for EU membership.

Currently, EU and Kyiv diplomats are intensively working behind the scenes to ensure that Hungary agrees to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc, Politico informs.

According to European diplomats familiar with the matter, the goal is to start official negotiations with Ukraine on June 25.

According to diplomats, both Brussels and Kyiv are engaged in intensive bilateral diplomacy with Budapest to resolve the problems of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, writes Politico.

The publication reminds that after the talks in April between the head of the President's Office Andrii Yermak and the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijarto, according to the Ukrainian press release, the parties noted the positive dynamics of the dialogue.

At the same time, one of the EU diplomats believes that Hungary probably wants to «put an end» to the negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the bloc before it begins its six-month presidency of the EU Council in July.

«Ukraine and its supporters in the EU are calling for an intergovernmental conference between Brussels and Kyiv before Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on July 1,» the publication adds.

Accession of Ukraine to the EU

Denmark will prepare Mykolaiv officials for Ukraine's accession to the EU — local authorities will be taught how to receive and properly use Union funds.

Earlier, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva said that negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union will begin in the first half of 2024, when Belgium will chair the EU Council.

It was also reported that the start of official negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU may be postponed until March 2024 due to Hungary's position.

In turn, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland will try to help Ukraine in all aspects of the EU accession process.

As you know, Ukraine fully fulfilled four of the seven requirements that accompanied the granting of the status of a candidate for admission.

In December 2023, the leaders of the European Union at the summit in Brussels approved the recommendation of the European Commission to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the European Union's decision to open negotiations a victory for all of Europe.

In January of this year, as part of preparations for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, a constituent meeting on the screening of Ukrainian legislation was held in Brussels.

During a joint press conference in Warsaw on April 15, the Prime Ministers of Poland and Denmark, Donald Tusk and Mette Frederiksen, said that the presidency of Poland, followed by Denmark, in the first and second half of next year should contribute to the acceleration of Ukraine's European integration processes.

European Commissioner for the Budget Johannes Hahn, that the planned accession of Ukraine to the EU may lead to an increase in the budget of the European Union by up to 20%.