European Commission: Kiev meets requirements for entry negotiations
The Ukraine and Moldova are believed to have accomplished everything necessary for the commencement of negotiations to join the European Union, claims the EU Commission.
"We think that all steps taken by the two countries have been accomplished," said an EU Commission representative in Brussels, referencing measures regarding corruption, better protections for national minorities, and limiting the political influence of oligarchs. Germany had declared towards the end of May that it considered all requirements for the initiation of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine to have been fulfilled.
Hungary's Demands for Extra Requirements
It's unclear when the accession discussions will get underway, as the Hungarian government is said to still be requesting additional requirements for its sanction of accession talks with Ukraine. Hungary allegedly wants more specific mentions of minority protection in future, not-yet-decided documents for the negotiations due to their belief that the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine aren't adequately respected. The Netherlands is also wrestling with this issue in their parliament.
Meeting All Reform Requirements Necessary
The initiation of accession talks with Ukraine, which is currently under attack from Russia, and its neighbor Moldova was determined at a EU summit in December. At that time, it was also mandated that all reform requirements must be met before the start of the negotiations. Additionally, it's a requirement that all EU countries have endorsed the negotiation framework, which outlines guidelines and principles for the accession negotiations.
The beginning of accession discussions with Ukraine and Moldova reflects a crucial symbol for Ukrainians that it's worth defending themselves against Russia. The duration of time it will take following the initiation of negotiations until Ukraine becomes a member of the EU remains undetermined. Turkey, for instance, has been an EU candidate since 1999 and is currently further from membership than all other candidate countries due to issues with the rule of law.
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The EU Commission's assertion regarding Kiev's fulfillment of entry requirements for accession talks with the EU doesn't include conditions set by Hungary, who is still pressing for additional protections for the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. The conditions for the commencement of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, as decided at the EU summit in December, extend beyond just meeting reform requirements, necessitating the endorsement of the negotiation framework by all EU countries.
