Ukraine’s EU accession bid advances after Kyiv passes minority rights law

The European Union will open new negotiation chapters with Ukraine on Tuesday, a crucial step in Kyiv's long journey toward membership, according to the latest update. This development marks a significant milestone for Ukraine's accession bid, following the passage of legislation on Monday that safeguards the rights of national minorities, including the Hungarian-speaking community in western Ukraine.

For years, tensions between Ukraine and Hungary over the minority issue prevented Ukraine from progressing in its EU membership application, which was formally submitted shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

European Council President Antonio Costa expressed his satisfaction with the decision made by EU Member States to open two additional negotiation clusters with Ukraine and Moldova. He stated his hope that all remaining clusters would be opened as soon as possible and emphasized Ukraine's future lies within the EU. Costa urged aspiring members to implement comprehensive reforms in line with EU norms, ranging from environmental policy to agriculture.

The process involves completing 35 negotiation chapters and obtaining a unanimous decision from the 27 member states to accept a new member. Ratification by each member state can be achieved through parliamentary approval or a referendum.