Ukrainian Cabinet confirms rumors about start of EU accession negotiations
Photo: Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka (Getty Images)
Ukraine is fully technically ready to open all six negotiation clusters with the European Union and seeks parallel progress in the integration process, states Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka during a meeting with journalists.
Priorities of the negotiation process
According to him, the Ukrainian side is currently focusing its main efforts on the official opening of the first cluster within the EU accession negotiations.
This step is expected to take place on June 15.
However, Kyiv does not plan to limit itself to the first stage and is actively working on the remaining five areas.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the country has the capacity to work on all tracks simultaneously.
"Ukraine is ready to open all six clusters. It is important for us to follow the methodology and simultaneously proceed with the work on the remaining five clusters," Kachka emphasized.
What the integration format will look like
As Kachka noted, the final format of further dialogue — whether the process will move sequentially from one cluster to another, or whether European partners agree to examine all issues in parallel — remains a matter of discussion.
"The question is whether we will move sequentially or in parallel. All decisions will be made by the member states of the European Union. And we are working with them," the official added.
What preceded this
Earlier, Politico named the date of an important EU decision regarding Ukraine, noting that the historic step is expected in just a few days.
According to European diplomats, Hungary has indicated its readiness to lift objections to Ukraine’s EU membership bid, which would allow the opening of the first negotiation cluster during the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on June 15.
It later became known that the EU sees new progress in Ukraine’s accession talks, which could give Kyiv a strong boost already in June. Positive momentum and successful consultations with Budapest on the rights of the Hungarian minority make it possible for the European side to consider opening not one, but two negotiation clusters at once.
On June 5, Ukraine announced an agreement with Hungary that is expected to be implemented this year during constructive dialogue within the EU integration process. The basis for further work remains the Action Plan on National Minorities approved last year, which is part of Kyiv’s commitments under the first negotiation cluster, Fundamentals.
