The European Union formally opened the “Fundamentals” cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on Monday, June 15, 2026. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar lifted a long-standing veto after striking a deal with Kyiv regarding the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
A comprehensive agreement between Prime Minister Magyar and Kyiv secures the linguistic, educational, cultural, and political rights of approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia. The Ukrainian government committed to incorporating these measures into its national legal system and EU accession action plan.
The decision marks a departure from the policy of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who blocked formal negotiations since January 2025. EU ambassadors in Brussels initiated the procedure to open the first cluster on June 3 following the shift in Hungarian leadership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the start of negotiations as a “strategic choice” for the Union. European Council President Antonio Costa announced the agreement, signaling a return to institutional momentum for the enlargement process.
Prime Minister Magyar cautioned against an accelerated timeline. He stated that Hungary does not support a “fast-track” procedure and suggested a referendum on membership if all 33 accession chapters close within a 10-to-15-year window.
The opening of the “Fundamentals” cluster is the first formal stage of an accession process involving 33 separate chapters. The timeline remains subject to rule-of-law benchmarks and the resolution of remaining bilateral disputes between candidate countries and EU member states.