EU states push for accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova amid Hungarian opposition
- Twelve EU states are advocating for the initiation of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova by the end of June.
- Hungary's opposition poses a threat to the progress of negotiations for these countries' EU membership.
- The push for discussions reflects a significant step towards closer ties between the EU and Eastern European nations.
The European Commission said Ukraine and Moldova are ready to start talks to join the EU. This happened after Russia invaded Ukraine, making the EU want to speed up the process. Both countries need to make many changes in their laws and economy before they can join the EU. Ukraine has made changes to fight corruption and protect its people's rights. Moldova is still working on its legal system. Hungary is worried that Ukraine is not ready to join the EU and is blocking the talks. The decision to start talks was delayed because of Hungary's concerns. Ukraine is trying to make Hungary happy by improving laws for minorities. Some EU countries want talks to start before Hungary takes over the EU presidency in July. They think it will help Ukraine and Moldova make more changes. The EU wants to help Ukraine and Moldova join the EU to improve their countries. But some people worry it could cause problems for the EU's budget.