Ukraine and Moldova Begin EU Accession Talks

Today, on June 25, the negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU is officially starting.

“I am grateful to everyone on our team who worked hard to make this historic step a reality. Millions of Ukrainians, and indeed generations of our people, are realizing their European dream. Ukraine is returning to Europe, where it has belonged for centuries, as a full-fledged member of the European community,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote.

President of Moldova Maia Sandu wrote: “Becoming an EU member is our path to peace, prosperity, and a better life for all citizens.”

The accession negotiations are scheduled to start in Luxembourg on Tuesday afternoon through two separate intergovernmental conferences that the EU will convene with Ukraine and Moldova.

The accession negotiation procedure simplified by European Pravda:

• The European Commission starts screening, studying the legislation of Ukraine regarding the level of its compatibility with European legislation.

• At the same time, the European Commission approves the draft negotiation framework, i.e. the regulations for further negotiations

• Ukraine is here at the moment

• Further, the Council of the EU, after holding consultations with Ukraine, approves the negotiation framework by unanimous decision.

• After that, the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference takes place. This event is considered the official start of accession negotiations, but in reality, one more step is needed. More precisely, not even one, but 33 steps.

• Negotiations are conducted in parallel under 33 sectoral chapters of the accession agreement, to start negotiations on the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU norms

• In the process, the European Commission will prepare regular reports on Ukraine's progress, which will make it possible to compare whether we are moving quickly compared to other candidate states.

• When Ukraine completes negotiations on all 33 chapters in the specified order and the EU agrees to close all chapters, confirming Ukraine's readiness for membership, the signing of the accession agreement takes place.

In parallel with all this, a dialogue about the enlargement methodology continues in the EU, that is, about how decisions are made, where unanimity is required, and where the consent of a qualified majority of EU member states is sufficient.

Despite being amidst full-scale war, Ukraine managed to implement several recommendations received upon becoming an EU membership candidate in the summer of 2022.

To gain membership in the European Union, Ukraine must go through a difficult path, but it is a historic victory, to which Ukraine has come a long way since 2014.