Hungary blocks two negotiation clusters on Ukraine’s EU accession

Budapest has blocked the opening of the second and third negotiation clusters related to Ukraine’s integration into the European Union’s single market. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing sources.

In addition to blocking the two clusters, Hungary opposed the accelerated admission of Ukraine into the bloc. An unnamed Hungarian official stated that Kyiv should not have a more privileged status compared to Western Balkans candidates, who have been working to meet EU requirements for many years.

EU accession negotiations consist of 33 chapters grouped into six clusters, with the chapters distributed unevenly among them. The opening of negotiations does not provide for clear timelines and does not guarantee eventual membership in the organization.

For comparison: Montenegro, whose accession prospects are estimated for 2027, has been in negotiations for 14 years already. Turkey, which has virtually no chance of membership, formally remains a candidate, and the negotiation process with it has been ongoing for nearly 21 years.