Media: European Council chief urges EU capitals to unblock Ukraine's accession process by bypassing Hungary
European Council President António Costa has taken the lead in advancing Ukraine's EU membership bid despite opposition from Hungary ahead of a key summit of EU leaders in Copenhagen this week.
As reported by Politico, according to five diplomats and officials who agreed to speak to the media outlet on condition of anonymity, Costa is rallying the support of EU capitals to unblock negotiations on the future membership of Ukraine and Moldova. His diplomatic push is an attempt to bypass Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is wielding his veto to block Ukraine's path to the EU.
Under Costa's proposal, the so-called negotiating clusters could be opened with the approval of a qualified majority of EU countries, rather than by unanimous decision.
The closure of clusters would still require the support of all EU capitals, but lowering the threshold for launching talks would allow Ukraine and Moldova to begin the necessary reforms to demonstrate progress in aligning with EU standards.
This would make it possible to move the membership bids of both countries forward even if one or two states opposed it, a source familiar with the plan explained.
According to the diplomats, Costa has been actively persuading European leaders during a recent tour of capitals, where he met several European heads of government, as well as in bilateral talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last week.
"Enlargement is an important priority for the president of the European Council," said one of the officials. "He sees it as the most important geopolitical investment the EU can make. That's why he believes it is important to continue discussing avenues to ensure that Ukraine's reform efforts can be translated into tangible steps."
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will visit Ukraine on Monday 29 September, where the screening of legislation required for further progress in the candidacy process is being completed.
"All clusters have been screened, in record time. Ukraine has delivered. Ukraine is ready for the next step. It's now up to member states to give the green light," Kos told Politico's Brussels Playbook. "Both Ukraine and Europe cannot afford to see Ukraine's momentum for reforms slow down. This is the moment to accelerate."
Taras Kachka, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, confirmed that at the end of September Ukraine and the EU will complete the screening of Ukrainian legislation for accession talks, after which the formation of negotiating positions will begin.
Read also: Getting round Orbán: how to unblock Ukraine's road to the EU