On June 25, in Luxembourg, Ukraine and the European Union officially started negotiations for accession during the first intergovernmental conference. Ukraine is expected to open 35 negotiation chapters, while Hungary will have the opportunity to use the veto right up to 70 times.
Belgium, which chaired the EU Council for the last six months, prepared a strategic plan called “The Future of Europe.” This document outlines the reforms that the EU should implement before the enlargement process.
Ukraine and the EU have finally opened accession negotiations, a political decision that was made back in December of last year. At that time, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban “went out for a coffee” during the vote. This decision was made in the final days of Belgium’s chairmanship, as Hungary will take over the EU Council presidency from July, and Hungary has openly stated that Ukraine does not meet the necessary criteria.
Ignoring the Problem – Solving It?
President Volodymyr Zelensky called the decision to start negotiations historic, emphasizing a “new milestone in Ukraine’s history.” He expressed confidence that in the future, Ukraine will indeed obtain coveted membership in the European Union.
The negotiation process will not be easy and will require thousands of hours of work. Currently, the European Commission is conducting a screening of Ukrainian legislation to ensure its compatibility with EU laws. Vice Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna is confident that the screening will be completed by the end of this year, and by 2025, the first decisions may be made that could relate to the fundamental principles of the European Union.
Ukraine must open and close 35 negotiation chapters, 33 of which are divided into six thematic clusters. Opening the first negotiation chapter will signify the actual start of the accession negotiations. Each chapter is opened and closed by a separate decision of the EU Council, giving Hungary or another country the right to veto.
Reasons for Pessimism
Accession to the EU can take years. For example, Poland started negotiations in 1998 and became a member in 2004. The longest negotiations were with Croatia – 7 years and 8 months. Analysts note that the shortest term for accession could be three years provided there is political will and no bureaucratic obstacles.
However, Ukraine’s EU membership will depend not only on reforms in Ukraine but also on internal changes within the EU itself. The document “Future of Europe” proposes strengthening the protection of EU values, revising budgetary and institutional mechanisms, and avoiding abuse of veto power.
The Minister for Europe in the German government, Anna Lürmann, called for the expansion to take place before the end of the term of the re-elected Euro-Institutions. This depends on the pace of reforms in candidate countries, and the EU must be prepared for this within the next five years.
