EU hopes to open final negotiation clusters for Ukraine by year-end
Photo: Katarína Mathernová, EU Ambassador to Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The European Union expects to open all six clusters in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations by the end of this year, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said during a meeting with journalists.
Mathernová noted that Ukraine had opened four of the six negotiation clusters this year and that the EU hopes to open the remaining two before the end of the year.
According to the ambassador, the disappointment caused by the blocking of Ukraine’s path to the EU is gone. Progress on enlargement is now not just theoretical, but practical.
She also pointed out that on November 4, the European Commission would publish an important enlargement report highlighting Ukraine as one of the four leading countries on the path to EU membership.
Mathernová added that the EU had not observed any backsliding in various areas of reform. While the degree of progress varied, with some areas showing disappointing or limited progress and others making good progress, there was no evidence of regression anywhere, which she said was also important.
Ukraine's EU accession negotiations
As of today, the European Union has opened four of the six clusters in Ukraine's accession negotiations.
Hungary is blocking the opening of the final two clusters.
Last week, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that Ukraine and Hungary would organize a meeting of their intergovernmental commission in November. The commission will address economic issues, minority rights protection, and other matters.
