&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "European Union to resume Ukraine membership talks after Hungary lifts veto")
The European Union will restart accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on Monday after all member states agreed to move forward with the process, ending a long period of blockage caused by Hungary's previous government.
European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the decision in a joint statement on social media.
"All member states agreed to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova," the two leaders said.
The breakthrough follows a policy shift in Hungary after Prime Minister Peter Magyar replaced former leader Viktor Orban, whose government had blocked progress on Ukraine's bid to join the European Union.
EU calls enlargement a strategic choice
Welcoming the decision, Costa and von der Leyen praised the efforts made by both candidate countries despite ongoing challenges.
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"This is a recognition of the determination, courage and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges," they said.
"Enlargement is a strategic choice," they added. "In a world marked by growing uncertainty, a larger European Union is in our common interest."
Formal accession talks with Ukraine began in June 2024, but the process stalled because of opposition from Budapest. The negotiations involve a wide range of policy areas, including agriculture, governance and the rule of law, and typically take years to complete.
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The first phase of discussions will start on Monday with the opening of the "fundamentals" cluster, which focuses on key democratic and legal standards expected from candidate countries.
Magyar's government agreed to lift the veto after reaching an understanding with Kyiv over the rights of Ukraine's Hungarian ethnic minority, an issue that had long strained relations between the two neighbours.
However, the Hungarian leader said his government does not support a fast-track route for Ukraine's membership and indicated that Hungarians would eventually vote on the issue through a referendum if Kyiv completed all accession chapters in the coming years.
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday that it had reached a preliminary agreement with Ukraine that could release about $690 million in funding after reviewing the country's loan programme.
If approved by the IMF's executive board, the latest payment would increase total disbursements under the $8.1 billion loan programme to $2.2 billion.
