EU Accession — 2026-06-13

All 27 EU Members Approve Launch of Formal Accession Talks With Ukraine and Moldova Starting June 15

BLUFBudapest's reversal on Fundamentals ends the veto deadlock but preserves its structural leverage through the minority rights action plan, making additional cluster openings before year-end genuinely uncertain.

All 27 EU ambassadors in Brussels agreed Friday evening to open the Fundamentals cluster with Ukraine and Moldova, covering rule of law, human rights, and the judiciary, with formal intergovernmental conferences set for Monday in Luxembourg 1234. The agreement includes a rule-of-law roadmap and an action plan on minority rights, the main point of contention between Budapest and Kyiv, amended to reflect the outcome of recent bilateral consultations between the two sides 1. European Council President Costa and Commission President von der Leyen issued a joint statement calling enlargement "a strategic choice" and crediting both countries' reform progress despite what they termed "immense challenges" 23. Diplomatic sources in Brussels cited by RFE/RL on condition of anonymity said the remaining five clusters are unlikely to open until later in 2026, despite Kyiv's stated preference for simultaneous opening of all six 4.

Analysis
The opening ends the veto deadlock without compressing Brussels's merit-based sequencing, leaving whether a second cluster advances by year-end 2026 genuinely uncertain. The cluster-timing forecast rests on a single anonymous diplomatic source chain. Cyprus holds the rotating presidency through June with stated ambition to open a second cluster before month-end. Moderate confidence reflects visible institutional momentum from Hungary's reversal against uncorroborated timing assessments. Budapest retains structural leverage through the minority rights action plan without reinstating a formal veto. Germany's associate membership proposal could reduce Brussels's urgency to advance clusters quickly, framing the slower pace as complementary. Member governments conditioning reform investment on accession progress will calibrate that support differently if talks remain at Fundamentals through year-end.

4 sources

EU countries agree to unblock accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova - Euronews
Statement by President Costa and President von der Leyen on the agreement to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova - Council of the European Union
EU agrees launch of accession process for Ukraine and Moldova - Al Jazeera
EU Members Agree To Advance Accession Talks For Ukraine And Moldova - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty