EU Commission Recommends Starting Ukraine Accession Talks This Month

The European Commission, preparing negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the European Union (EU), is reportedly set to recommend the start of negotiations this month.

European Union (EU) flag / Photo by Yonhap News

According to major foreign media on the 7th (local time), the European Commission will officially begin accession negotiations with Ukraine to show support before Hungary assumes the rotating EU presidency in the second half of this year. The Commission is expected to announce that Ukraine has fulfilled reform requirements related to anti-corruption measures, political lobbying restrictions, public officials' asset declaration regulations, and protection of minority languages.

Ukraine applied for EU membership four days after Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022. It was granted candidate status on June 23 of the same year, progressing at an unusually rapid pace. However, since Ukraine must reform all political, judicial, and economic sectors to meet EU standards, it is anticipated that becoming a full member could take several years to decades.

Typically, the EU accession process proceeds in four stages. Once the EU decides to start negotiations, it prepares a 'negotiation framework' that outlines how the accession talks will be conducted. All 27 EU member states must agree to finalize the negotiation framework. Belgium, holding the rotating EU presidency in the first half of the year, plans to hold the first meeting related to accession negotiations on the 25th.

Meanwhile, there are forecasts that Hungary will object to the European Commission's recommendation to start accession negotiations with Ukraine. Viktor Orb?n, Hungary's Prime Minister, who maintains a friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has argued that accession negotiations should not begin with a country at war. Hungary is expected to raise objections citing concerns related to the treatment of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.