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EU Prepares to Open First Ukraine and Moldova Accession Negotiation Cluster in June
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The European Commission is preparing to propose the opening of the first negotiating cluster for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession to the European Union on June 16.
This recommendation is scheduled to be presented during a meeting of European affairs ministers in Brussels as part of the General Affairs Council. The proposed timeline is designed to allow EU leaders to officially endorse the move during the European Council summit in Brussels just two days later, according to Euractiv on May 27.
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The accession process involves six distinct thematic clusters that group various areas of EU law. The first cluster, which focuses on the fundamental democratic, economic, and institutional pillars of the union, is the first to be opened and the last to be closed.
While Ukraine has been pushing for a broader start, the current proposal specifically targets the opening of this initial cluster, with the remaining five could follow later, potentially in July.
Progress in these negotiations requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. If candidate countries are seen as reversing key reforms, any member state can block the process.
Recent discussions have seen various alternative integration models proposed, though these have been met with skepticism in Kyiv. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently suggested that Ukraine could join the EU as an "associate member" without full voting rights, an idea that officials in Kyiv have rejected.
Furthermore, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide addressed suggestions regarding potential membership in the European Economic Area as a precursor to full accession. "It is a very peculiar arrangement," Eide said. "It has its benefits and difficulties – I am not sure I would advise them to do it."
The political landscape within the EU has evolved significantly. While past progress in Ukraine’s integration was frequently hindered by the previous Hungarian government, the political situation in Budapest has changed following the parliamentary elections in March.
While the current government in Hungary remains cautious, it has adopted a more measured approach. It is expected that the new Hungarian Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, will travel to Brussels this week, where he is anticipated to link his support for the next steps in the accession process to demands for unlocking European funds previously frozen due to rule-of-law concerns.
On April 8, 2026, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka announced that European Union member states were developing a specific model for Ukraine’s accession to the bloc.
Kachka highlighted that several nations, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands, were working toward a solution with a target of 2027 for resolving Ukraine's membership. He also emphasized that the Ukrainian parliament was focused on passing approximately one hundred bills to meet the necessary benchmarks.
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