The European Union kicked off formal accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday, a move that brings the two former Soviet republics closer to membership in the bloc. The decision, taken by EU foreign ministers in Brussels, signals a major shift in the bloc's enlargement policy after years of stalemate.
What the talks mean
Accession talks are the start of a long and detailed process. Candidate countries must align their laws and institutions with the EU's vast body of rules, known as the acquis communautaire. For Ukraine and Moldova, the negotiations will cover 35 policy chapters, from agriculture and trade to justice and fundamental rights.
Both countries have pushed for closer ties with the EU since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moldova, which shares a border with Ukraine and is also under pressure from Moscow, applied for EU membership alongside Ukraine shortly after the war began.
The path ahead
The first step in the talks is the so-called screening process, where EU officials examine each country's legal framework and identify gaps. This can take months. Only after the screening does the actual bargaining over each chapter begin.
Negotiations are expected to take years. Past enlargements, such as those with Poland or Romania, took roughly a decade. There is no fixed timeline for Ukraine or Moldova. The process is driven by progress in reforms, and any member state can block a chapter or the entire process.
Political hurdles
The decision to open talks was not unanimous. Some EU countries, led by Hungary, have expressed reservations about the pace of enlargement. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly said Ukraine is not ready and has blocked financial aid packages in the past. To start the talks, the EU had to agree on a procedural workaround that allowed a decision without Hungary's support – a rare move.
Ukraine's government has been pushing through anti-corruption and judicial reforms to meet EU conditions. Moldova has also overhauled its legal system, though both still face criticism over oligarch influence and media freedom.
The EU will now submit the negotiating frameworks to Ukraine and Moldova for approval. After that, the screening phase begins. EU officials say the first intergovernmental conferences – where formal talks commence – will be held in the coming months. No target date for membership has been set.
