“The broad agreement reached between Hungary and Ukraine on the linguistic, educational, cultural and political rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia is a breakthrough and a long-awaited development.
Hungary’s new government has pledged that, following the agreement, it will abandon its previous opposition to opening the negotiating clusters required for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, thereby paving the way for progress on EU enlargement.
Estonia has long supported the opening of the negotiating clusters, as EU enlargement is important not only for candidate countries but also for ensuring the security and economic prosperity of the Union’s existing member states. Eliminating the so-called neutral zones in the EU’s neighbourhood will help ensure that Russian aggression against its neighbours is not repeated. EU enlargement is also important for strengthening the European Union’s global influence, including in economic terms.
Despite the war, Ukraine has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to implementing the reforms required for EU accession, and it is only right that the EU now takes the necessary steps on its side. It is welcome that Cyprus, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has recently announced that preparations have begun for the imminent opening of negotiating clusters with both Ukraine and Moldova, which has likewise fulfilled all the conditions necessary for this step.”
