EU launches "substitute" accession talks with Ukraine bypassing Orbán
The EU has announced the launch of a new format of technical talks with Ukraine that are not subject to a Hungarian veto at an informal meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union, the body that also handles enlargement, in the city of Lviv.
Marie Bjerre, Denmark's Minister for European Affairs, said that she regrets that Orbán's government has not lifted its blockade, forcing other European countries to look for ways around it.
"It is a disappointment for many of us that we have not been able to formally open Cluster 1, but I am very proud that we have managed with a more technical approach – a frontloading.
We have confirmed today this new approach and the next presidency, the Cyprus presidency will be able to continue this approach… That means that the enlargement process with Ukraine is not at a standstill," Bjerre said.
Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, confirmed that Ukraine and the EU have now moved to a technical process that is not vulnerable to a Hungarian veto.
"Today, the member states have given clearly the direction… There is a list of reforms, and nobody can veto Ukraine from doing these reforms," Kos said.
Bjerre clarified that this route essentially means bypassing the Hungarian veto, but only for a time. Closing negotiating chapters still requires the consent of all EU members and this cannot be circumvented.
"The enlargement procedures require unanimity to open negotiation clusters. We have not been able to lift that blockage, but we have taken another approach… Even though it's formally still blocked, Ukraine is still able to move on with all the technical work that needs to be done. And then when the blockade is lifted, and I'm quite confident that it will be, then we can very speedily very fast open these negotiation clusters and close them again," Bjerre added.
Read more: Frontloading: EU's alternative path to break Hungary's veto on Ukraine's accession talks
Earlier, Marta Kos said she was "not worried" by Hungary's blocking of Ukraine's progress.
Read more: EU candidate ranking 2025: leaders, laggers and Ukraine's critical crossroads