EU countries agree to open two more negotiating clusters for Ukraine
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Getty Images)
EU countries have agreed to open the second and third negotiation clusters as part of Ukraine's EU accession talks, according to Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense, Thomas Byrne.
According to Byrne, EU member states have agreed to:
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Open the second and third negotiation clusters for Ukraine and Moldova.
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Close three chapters for Montenegro.
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Close Chapter 20 for Albania.
Ukraine's EU accession
Recently, it emerged that Hungary had given the green light to opening two more negotiation clusters as part of Ukraine's EU accession talks. These are Cluster 2, Internal Market, and Cluster 3, Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth.
Hungary had been the only EU country blocking the opening of these clusters.
After Ukraine passed a law on the educational rights of national minorities, the Hungarian government reconsidered its veto. The law has already been signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
As of now, Ukraine has already opened Cluster 1, Fundamentals, and Cluster 6, External Relations. There are six negotiation clusters in total.
