Hungary Blocks EU Approval of Ukraine Accession Negotiations Draft

At a meeting of EU ambassadors on 29 May, Hungary is blocking the approval of a draft negotiation framework on Ukraine's accession to the EU over the issue of minority rights.   This was reported on Twitter by Radio Liberty editor Rikard Jozwiak.  

Today, representatives of 27 EU governments are discussing the European Commission's draft negotiation framework for the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. 

According to Radio Liberty editor Rikard Jozwiak, ‘Hungary is blocking Ukraine, but not Moldova, because of 11 bilateral issues regarding national minorities in Ukraine.’

The European Union considers the integration of Ukraine and Moldova jointly, so without progress on Ukraine, no decision on Moldova will be made.

The EU wants to officially start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova by the end of June, but this requires the unanimous consent of all EU states, including Hungary. 

June is a key month, as Hungary's six-month presidency of the EU Council begins in July, and it could potentially use its presidency to slow down decisions on Ukraine.

On 25 June, Luxembourg will host a meeting of the EU's General Affairs Council (GAC), a body responsible, among other things, for procedural decisions on the EU enlargement process. This will be the first meeting of the GAC after the European elections, and it is planned that the Council will give the green light to the EU-Ukraine Intergovernmental Conference.