The EU advances in the negotiation framework for the accession of Ukraine with the obstacle of Hungary

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BRUSSELS, May 29. () –

The member states of the European Union are advancing in the approval of the negotiating framework for the accession of Ukraine with the reluctance of Hungary, which threatens to be the main obstacle to the green light for the legal framework to launch the integration process of kyiv in the European bloc.

With the idea of ​​being able to agree on the opening of negotiations at the leaders’ summit in June and kick off the talks in the following days at an intergovernmental conference, the 27 have held a first debate at the ambassador level that has served to clarify doubts and gather majority support to move forward on the issue and soon finalize the negotiating framework for Ukraine and Moldova.

The objective is to hold the first meeting with both candidates at the end of June, a goal that only seems to threaten the position of Hungary, which broke the consensus this Wednesday following the line set in other areas of European support for Ukraine, such as the reimbursement of military aid to the 27 or the fund to ensure long-term financial assistance to kyiv.

Budapest demands “significant” changes to the text on Ukraine with regard to the rights of national minorities, trade, the fight against corruption, agriculture, the internal market or neighborly relations, some of these usual workhorse issues of Viktor’s Government Orbán who alleges discrimination against the Hungarian minority in Ukraine to block policies supporting kyiv within the EU.

Several European sources tell Europa Press that Hungary is the only partner that requests changes and seeks to add some elements to the text before giving the final approval, so, if it becomes entrenched, it may end up blocking the issue ahead of the summit. within a month in Brussels since the Enlargement policy works unanimously among the 27.

Another group of Member States not very inclined to Enlargement, such as France or the Netherlands, have shown flexibility in this debate, the sources add, indicating that some ambassadors acknowledged putting aside their requests to allow progress on this matter.

Although the Dutch delegation requested an oral report from the European Commission to present to its Parliament in the internal process of approving the negotiating framework. Meanwhile, the rest of the member states have shown consensus and there have been “some comments, but without blockages,” the same sources indicate.