European Union leaders have agreed to start accession negotiations with Ukraine, overcoming Hungary's veto. This progress comes after unblocking a €90 billion loan and adopting the twentieth package of sanctions against Russia. European Council President António Costa stated that the next step is to open the first negotiation block, fulfilling previous commitments. Ukraine has had candidate status since 2022.
The bureaucratic hurdles Ukraine will have to overcome 📋
The accession process requires Ukraine to align its legislation with the 35 chapters of the EU acquis, from intellectual property rights to industrial technical regulations. The European Commission has already identified critical areas such as judicial reform, the fight against corruption, and transparency in public procurement. Each negotiation block requires progress reports and periodic evaluations. The use of digital tools for audits and the implementation of blockchain systems in public records could speed up compliance verification.
Hungary, the neighbor who always arrives late to dinner 🍽️
Budapest lifted its veto after receiving guarantees that European funds allocated to its projects would not be frozen. It's curious: Hungary was blocking Ukraine's entry while negotiating discounts on its community electricity bill. In the end, the solution was as simple as promising Orbán that his toy wouldn't be taken away. Now Ukraine just needs to learn to dance the diplomatic csárdás over the next years of negotiations.