---
title: "Kyiv Intends to Open All Six EU Accession Negotiation Clusters by the End of 2026"
description: "Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Kyiv expects to open all six EU accession negotiation clusters by the end of 2026: four are already launched, and following the settlement with Hungary, no political obstacles remain."
date: 2026-10-16T02:54:21.507Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kyiv-to-open-clusters-eu-accession
tags: [ukraine, eu-accession, negotiations, andriy-sybiha, hungary, ireland, lithuania]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Kyiv Intends to Open All Six EU Accession Negotiation Clusters by the End of 2026

![Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wearing a suit and glasses at a desk with a world map in the background](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/ukraina-otkryet-klasteri-vstuplenie-es/ukraina-otkryet-klasteri-vstuplenie-es-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Ukraine intends to open all six EU accession negotiation clusters by the end of 2026.
- To date, four out of six clusters are already open.
- The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry asserts that following the normalization of relations with Hungary, no political obstacles remain to opening the clusters.
- The opening of the remaining clusters aligns with the position of Ireland, holding the EU Council presidency in the second half of 2026, while Kyiv is already consulting with Lithuania, which will hold the presidency in the first half of 2027.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Kyiv expects to open all six negotiation clusters within the framework of the country's European Union accession process by the end of 2026. According to him, there are no longer any political obstacles to completing this procedure, particularly following the normalization of relations with Hungary, which had previously blocked a number of decisions concerning Ukraine's European integration. The minister's statement was made in an interview reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to Ukrinform.

### Status of Negotiation Clusters

Sybiha emphasized that the opening of two new clusters has become an important step on Ukraine's path to EU membership. Overall, according to his data, four of the six clusters are already open, and Kyiv intends to launch negotiations on the remaining areas before the end of the year. Thus, the negotiation track is formally moving toward the completion of the preparatory phase, after which the country will be able to transition to full-fledged negotiations across all spheres — from justice and internal policy to agriculture and the energy market.

### Unblocking Following Hungary

A key factor, according to the Foreign Ministry's assessment, was the lifting of the political veto by Budapest. “We have streamlined relations with Hungary, which allowed us to unblock this issue, and today there are no other political obstacles to opening the clusters,” Sybiha stated. Previously, Hungary's stance, alongside several other member states, held back progress on Ukraine's path to the EU, making its normalization with Kyiv a decisive condition for continuing the process, the minister said.

### Role of EU Council Presidencies

The minister also noted that Kyiv's approach is shared by European partners. In particular, the opening of the remaining clusters aligns with the position of Ireland, which holds the presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026. In parallel, Ukraine has already begun consultations with Lithuania, which will assume the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2027, regarding further steps of European integration. This allows Kyiv to build a continuous negotiating agenda at the junction of the two presidencies.

### Timelines and Expectations

The context of accelerating the process was formed back in the spring of 2026: at that time, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement set a July deadline for opening all clusters regarding Ukraine's accession, urging member states not to delay the decision. The Office of the President of Ukraine also called the swift opening of the first clusters a realistic scenario in May. By October, according to Sybiha, four clusters are already operating, and the remaining two are expected to be launched before the end of the current year, which, if current dynamics are maintained, will allow Ukraine to reach the final stage of the negotiation track.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Политических препятствий для открытия кластеров по вступлению Украины в ЕС больше нет, - МИД](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/politichnih-pereshkod-vidkrittya-klasteriv-1792118445.html) - Primary source: statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha regarding four open clusters, the goal to open all six by the end of the year, and the removal of obstacles after Hungary; Ireland's position and consultations with Lithuania.
- [В ОП ожидают скорого открытия первых кластеров в рамках переговоров с ЕС](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/05/19/8035365/) - Context: in May 2026, the Office of the President of Ukraine called the swift opening of the first negotiation clusters a realistic scenario.
- [Еврокомиссар по расширению ЕС призвала открыть переговоры по вступлению Украины и Молдавии к ...](https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/12/evrokomissar-po-rasshireniyu-es) - Context: in May 2026, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement set a July deadline for opening all clusters regarding Ukraine's accession.

## FAQ

### How many EU accession negotiation clusters for Ukraine are already open?

According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, four out of six clusters are currently open, and Kyiv intends to launch negotiations on the remaining areas by the end of 2026.

### What, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, removed the political obstacles to opening the clusters?

The Foreign Minister stated that streamlining relations with Hungary allowed the issue to be unblocked, and today there are no other political obstacles to opening the clusters.

### Which EU Council presidencies are involved in the further agenda?

The opening of the remaining clusters aligns with the position of Ireland, holding the EU Council presidency in the second half of 2026, and Ukraine has already started consultations with Lithuania, which will hold the presidency in the first half of 2027.