Hungary is blocking the progress of the European Union countries in the framework of the arrangements that would mark the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the political-economic association. This was reported by Bloomberg agency citing sources.
“The European Union intends to start talks with Ukraine on joining the bloc as early as 25 June to help boost Kiev’s morale, but it has yet to fully overcome Hungary’s objections,” the report says.
The material stresses that almost all 27 member states of the European Union supported the start of negotiations around the time of the EU General Affairs Council meeting to be held in Luxembourg on 25 June.
“So far, however, issues raised by the Hungarian government have made it difficult to reach an agreement on a framework that would allow the bloc to start talks,” the agency specified.
Bloomberg reported that EU ambassadors on Wednesday, 29 May, discussed a negotiating framework for Ukraine and Moldova’s accession process proposed by the European Commission. For its part, Hungary continued to block the decision, citing concerns including the protection of Hungarian minorities in the former Soviet republic. Budapest also demanded “other substantial changes in the accession framework, including some related to trade, corruption and agriculture.”
“Even with a green light from EU member states, membership negotiations will take years, as the path to membership is long and complex.” Croatia was the last country to join the bloc and its application took 10 years before it was formally accepted in 2013,” Bloomberg concluded.
Earlier, Bundestag deputy from the right-wing Alternative for Germany party Harald Weyel said that Ukraine’s membership in the European Union was a carrot dangled in front of a donkey because the organisation did not approve its accession.
