A diplomatic crisis has erupted in Brussels that could significantly slow down Ukraine's path to the European Union. At the meeting of the Council Working Party on Enlargement (COELA) on July 17, it became clear: the unity of candidate countries is under threat due to the position of a single country. Hungary, using its veto right, blocked the opening of new negotiation stages for Ukraine, while attempting to apply "double standards" regarding Moldova.
Divide and Conquer Tactics: Why Budapest is Against Kyiv
The main topic of the meeting was the discussion of the screening of clusters 2 and 3 — key blocks necessary to launch full-fledged accession negotiations. The procedure required the approval of these clusters and the sending of official letters to Kyiv and Chișinău requesting negotiation positions.
However, the Hungarian delegation applied an unconventional, and in the opinion of many, destructive tactic. Diplomats from Budapest agreed to open Cluster No. 3 for Moldova but categorically denied Ukraine the same right. In essence, Hungary attempted to artificially separate the integration process of two countries that, according to Brussels, should move in parallel.
"Today COELA discussed the screening results... But Hungary gave the 'green light' only to the letter to Moldova regarding Cluster No. 3," sources in Brussels report.
EU Unity vs. Hungarian Veto
Such an approach caused sharp rejection by the majority of European Union countries. Hungary's proposal to separate the candidates was rejected, but unfortunately, this did not lead to a positive decision. As a result, the session ended inconclusively: no decisions were made to open clusters for Ukraine.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of member states, including those who previously had disagreements with Kyiv, are calling for an acceleration of the process. Even Poland, despite the deterioration of relations with Ukraine, supports the earliest opening of all negotiation clusters. Estonia also took a hard stance: Prime Minister Kristen Michal called on the EU to immediately open all clusters to avoid wasting time.
Deadline and the Risk of Losing Time
Now all hopes are pinned on the next meeting, which will take place on July 22. This will be the diplomats' last attempt to agree before the start of the big summer holidays. If a consensus is not reached by the end of the week, issues of European integration will be postponed until at least autumn.
For Ukraine, this means losing precious time needed for reforms and progress toward membership. The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States (COREPER) had previously approved the opening of the sixth cluster, but without a decision on clusters 2 and 3, the process remains frozen. Now, depending on the position of the Hungarian side, Ukraine will either be able to continue its path to the EU this year or be forced to wait until the next season.
