Ukraine Begins Official Talks on EU Membership

The intergovernmental council meeting between Ukraine and the European Union will take place in Luxembourg on June 25, where the official announcement of the start of negotiations for Ukraine's EU membership will be made, reports BBC's Russian service.

"Today, the EU begins negotiations on the membership of Ukraine and Moldova. We are on the brink of a decisive moment for both countries. Together, we can create a great and promising Europe. The road ahead will not be easy, but it will be filled with enormous opportunities," reads the European Commission's statement.

At the end of April, President Zelensky announced that Ukraine had fulfilled all the prerequisites to begin negotiations on membership. This was confirmed by the European Commission at the beginning of June; however, the mandate to start negotiations was not accepted at the meeting of EU ambassadors due to objections from Hungary. Budapest stated that the actions taken by Kyiv were insufficient to protect the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

This issue has been resolved through a framework agreement that includes a compromise formulation regarding the rights of national minorities. Kyiv has also been obligated to regularly report to the European Commission on the progress of reforms regarding the rights of national minorities in Ukraine.

Media reports indicate that it is crucial for Kyiv and Brussels to officially start the negotiation process before July 1, when the presidency of the EU Council will shift from Belgium to Hungary, which could pose difficulties for Ukraine on its path to EU membership.