The European Union is discussing ways to prevent Hungary from disrupting the actual start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.

Source : Bloomberg with reference to its sources 

Details : Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that during closed-door discussions last week, some member states called on the European Commission to consider opening the first cluster of negotiations despite Budapest's objections.

According to these sources, EU members believe that Budapest intends to derail the process with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's plan to hold national consultations on Ukraine's EU membership, despite Hungary's previous agreement to start accession talks in 2023.

Informed sources said that although unanimity among member states is required to start and complete EU accession negotiations, this is not a legal requirement for opening or closing individual clusters.

The sources stated that the European Commission had informed member states during a recent closed-door discussion that it intended to send the European Council a first report on the start of discussions on the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and neighbouring Moldova.

It was also said that during recent discussions, some EU representatives expressed concern about Orbán's negative comments on Ukraine's EU membership.

EU officials are concerned about the national consultations on Ukraine's membership planned by the Hungarian PM. Previous consultations, which were usually accompanied by pro-government campaigns, inevitably led to results that were in line with Orbán's policy.

Background:

• Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that the EU had an understanding of how to act if the Hungarian veto on Ukraine's accession is not overcome.
• Earlier, the Ukrainian government stated that the EU's attitude towards Ukraine's movement is unfair.

Read more: Orbán sidelines Ukraine, helps Moldova. What might happen to Kyiv's EU dream with Hungary's veto

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