Hungary has blocked the next stage of Ukraine’s European Union membership process for the third time. Budapest refused to approve the results of negotiations on the second and third negotiating clusters at a meeting of the EU Working Party on Enlargement. The Hungarian government has linked its position to the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Ukraine.
Budapest says Hungary will not support further progress in Ukraine’s EU accession talks until Kyiv takes what it considers necessary steps to protect the rights of ethnic Hungarians. The blocked second cluster concerns the EU internal market, while the third focuses on competitiveness and inclusive growth. Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations began in 2024, and opening individual negotiating clusters requires the unanimous approval of all EU member states.
The latest blockage comes despite a June agreement between Ukraine and Hungary that Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar described as "historic". The agreement was aimed at strengthening guarantees for the educational, cultural, linguistic and political rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. However, the agreement has not resolved Budapest’s objections to Ukraine’s EU accession process.
At the same time, Hungary’s new government continues to maintain dialogue with Kyiv. Prime Minister Péter Magyar has previously called for expanded educational, cultural, linguistic and political rights for Hungarians living in Transcarpathia. Here we are to serve you with news right now.
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