--- title: "Hungary Asks for Several Days on the Final Two Clusters: Kyiv Expects a «Green Light» Soon" description: "Hungary has requested a few days to approve Ukraine's final two EU negotiation clusters—environment, energy, and agriculture. Kyiv expects a «green light» shortly and maintains its plan to conclude negotiations by the end of 2028." date: 2026-11-06T08:54:52.660Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/hungary-asks-days-final-ukraine-clusters tags: [ukraine-eu, eu-accession, hungary, negotiations, brussels, kiev] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Hungary Asks for Several Days on the Final Two Clusters: Kyiv Expects a «Green Light» Soon ![A man in glasses and a suit with a tie sitting against a blue wall](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/06/ukraina-otkryet-ostavshiesya-klastery-es-vengriya-prosit-dni/ukraina-otkryet-ostavshiesya-klastery-es-vengriya-prosit-dni-1.webp) ## Key Points - Hungary has requested a few additional days to finalize its positions on the final two clusters: environment/energy and agriculture. - Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU Taras Kachka expects a «green light» in the coming days and reaffirms the plan to finalize negotiations by the end of 2028. - Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán does not consider Ukraine's EU accession before 2030 realistic, while Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys views it as possible with swift reforms. Ukraine has reached the final stage of European Union accession negotiations: out of six negotiation areas, four have been opened, while Budapest has requested additional time to finalize its positions on the final two—environment and energy, as well as agriculture. This was stated by Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU Taras Kachka in an interview with Radio Liberty, as reported by RBC-Ukraine. According to him, Hungary is currently the only country stating that it needs a few more days, and Kyiv hopes the «green light» will be given in the coming days. ### What is Happening with the Last Two Clusters The ambassador confirmed to journalists that it is precisely a matter of the «coming dates»: «It is early November now, so flexibly—in the coming days». Kachka emphasized his hope that «as it was agreed, so it will all be implemented». A reminder of the procedure is important: prior to opening a cluster, a mandatory step is the approval by a member state of the results of checking Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU norms, and it was at this stage that Hungary twice—on October 20 and 27—refused to approve the final two areas. ### Timelines: Kyiv vs. Budapest The parties' positions diverge regarding the prospects for accession. Kachka stated that Ukraine intends to conclude negotiations by the end of 2028 and that delays in rule-of-law reforms do not break this plan: «We have the potential to do everything within a single year... it is a matter of a year to a year and a half». As a benchmark, he cited Lithuania and Slovakia, which started negotiations in February 2000, completed them in December 2002, and joined the EU in May 2004 alongside countries that had started almost two years earlier. Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, speaking on November 5 during a visit to Vilnius, stated conversely that she does not consider Ukraine's accession to the EU before 2030 realistic, emphasizing commitment to a «merit-based process». Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys assessed the situation differently: with rapid reforms in Kyiv and timely completion of stages by the EU, accession before 2030, he said, is «theoretically possible». ### How Hungary Lifted the Blockade Previously, Budapest blocked Ukraine's path to the EU due to grievances concerning the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia. After Ukraine amended its education legislation, Hungary dropped its objections to two clusters, which were opened on October 13. Orbán partially attributed this progress to improving Ukrainian-Hungarian relations and the agreement on protecting the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, noting the opening of four out of six negotiation areas. ### What's Next Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Vsevolod Chentsov previously stated that Ukraine will begin the preliminary closure of clusters in 2027, and Kyiv plans to complete the entire negotiation process by the end of 2028. Kachka summarized that to replicate the «Baltic-Slovak» scenario, Ukraine needs to spend less time on internal debates about which norms to implement: «99% of the tasks within EU accession are known... they literally just need to be done». ## Accounts differ ### Feasibility of Ukraine's EU Accession Before 2030 - **Hungary (Foreign Minister Anita Orbán):** Does not consider Ukraine's EU accession before 2030 realistic; supports a merit-based process and insists on going through the exact same procedures as other countries. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/koli-ukrayina-vidkrie-vsi-klasteri-es-diplomat-1793954918.html)) - **Lithuania (Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys):** Considers Ukraine's accession before 2030 possible if Kyiv implements reforms swiftly and the EU completes necessary stages on time. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/koli-ukrayina-vidkrie-vsi-klasteri-es-diplomat-1793954918.html)) - **Ukraine (Ambassador to the EU Taras Kachka):** Plans to conclude negotiations by the end of 2028 and considers this timeline realistic with prompt mobilization, citing the experience of Lithuania and Slovakia. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/koli-ukrayina-vidkrie-vsi-klasteri-es-diplomat-1793954918.html)) *Where they agree:* All parties acknowledge that Ukraine has opened four of the six negotiation clusters and that the process is merit-based; the remaining two clusters are pending approval. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Когда Украина откроет все кластеры ЕС: дипломат дал прогноз](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/koli-ukrayina-vidkrie-vsi-klasteri-es-diplomat-1793954918.html) - Interview with Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU Taras Kachka: Hungary's request for additional days on two clusters, plan to conclude negotiations by the end of 2028, example of Lithuania and Slovakia; statements by foreign ministers of Hungary and Lithuania on 2030 timelines; chronology of lifting the blockade (October 13, 20, 27). ## FAQ ### Which specific clusters are not yet open? According to Ukraine's Ambassador to the EU Taras Kachka, these are the final two negotiation directions—environment and energy, as well as agriculture. Hungary has requested several days to review its positions on them. ### When does Kyiv estimate the final clusters might be opened? Kachka confirmed that it concerns the «coming dates»—early November—and expressed hope that the «green light» will be given in the next few days. ### Do the parties agree on the timeline for Ukraine's EU accession? No. Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán does not consider accession before 2030 realistic, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys considers it possible with rapid reforms, and Kyiv plans to finish negotiations by the end of 2028.