EU Changes Rules to Bypass Hungarian Prime Minister

The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, is leading efforts to advance Ukraine's application for EU membership despite opposition from Hungary, as reported by Politico.

According to the publication, Costa is seeking support from EU capitals to facilitate the accession process for new members and to navigate out of a deadlock surrounding the prospects of Ukraine and Moldova joining the union.

Attempts are being made to circumvent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has used his country's veto to obstruct Ukraine's path to EU membership. Current regulations require that all 27 EU member states give the green light for each stage of the accession process.

Costa's proposal suggests that the key legal steps towards accession could commence with a majority agreement among EU countries, rather than unanimous consent.

“Expansion is a key priority for the President of the European Council. He considers it the most significant geopolitical investment that the EU can make. That is why he believes it is crucial to continue discussing ways to ensure that Ukraine’s reform efforts can translate into actual steps,” noted one of the officials.