EU’s Costa Pushes to Advance Ukraine’s Membership Talks Despite Hungary’s Veto
European Council President António Costa is spearheading efforts to push forward Ukraine’s EU accession bid, attempting to bypass Hungary’s persistent opposition ahead of a pivotal summit of EU leaders in Copenhagen this week.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Politico.
According to Politico, which cited five diplomats and officials speaking on condition of anonymity, Costa has been working to rally EU capitals behind a plan to unblock accession talks for both Ukraine and Moldova.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly used his veto power to stall Ukraine’s path toward the European Union.
Costa’s proposal would allow negotiation “clusters” to be opened with the approval of a qualified majority of member states, rather than requiring unanimous consent.
While closing the clusters would still demand unanimity, lowering the threshold to begin talks would enable Ukraine and Moldova to launch key reforms and demonstrate progress toward aligning with EU standards.
“This would move both applications forward even if one or two countries were opposed,” one source familiar with the plan told Politico.
Costa has been lobbying European leaders through a “tour of capitals” in recent weeks, as well as during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“Enlargement is an important priority for the President of the European Council. He sees it as the most important geopolitical investment the EU can make. That’s why he believes it is important to continue discussing avenues to ensure that Ukraine’s reform efforts can be translated into tangible steps,” an EU official said.
Meanwhile, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will travel to Ukraine on Monday as the country nears completion of the legislative review stage of its candidacy.
“All clusters have already been screened in record time. Ukraine has delivered. Ukraine is ready for the next step. It’s now up to member states to give the green light. Both Ukraine and Europe cannot afford to see Ukraine’s momentum for reforms slow down,” she told Politico.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka also confirmed that by the end of September Kyiv and Brussels will complete the screening of Ukrainian legislation, paving the way for the drafting of formal negotiating positions.
As The Gaze previously reported, during her visit to Kyiv, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced that the institution will open a permanent representation in Kyiv, underscoring the EU’s long-term commitment to Ukraine.