FPÖ against

EU begins accession talks with Ukraine

From the left: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj and Charles Michel, President of the European Council (archive photo)

(Bild: Virginia Mayo/AP)

The EU officially began accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday afternoon (see video above). However, negotiations in the true sense of the word are not expected.

Instead, the candidate countries will be presented with the framework that the EU states agreed on last week in Luxembourg. This includes guidelines and principles. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wished the two countries Ukraine and Moldova a "successful start". "The road ahead will be challenging, but also full of opportunities," she wrote on the online platform X. The news is "very good news for people across the European Union."

You can see the EU Commission President's post here.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is "not in agreement" with the Ukrainian government over the accession talks, has now voiced criticism. "(...) But we are not blocking it and support the start of negotiations." It is a "purely politically motivated process."

Orbán: Borders not clarified
It is not a question of a yes or no to EU membership. "But we must first examine what the consequences would be if we accepted a country at war whose borders have not been clarified in practice." Ukraine is a huge country, he said, which could also have consequences for agriculture.

From the left: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj and Charles Michel, President of the European Council

(Bild: Virginia Mayo/AP)

Kickl: "Political madness"
 FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl also voiced his criticism, speaking of "political madness" and an "undesirable development". Federal Chancellor Nehammer should have vetoed the bill. In contrast, the new NEOS MP Helmut Brandstätter voiced his approval. "Now is the time to take bold steps and initiate far-reaching changes to the treaty," he said in a press release.

Negotiations with the accession candidate Montenegro are also due to take place in Brussels on Wednesday, although talks are already at an advanced stage here.

Once the talks begin, it could be many years before the country actually joins the EU. Theoretically, a candidate may never become a member. In the case of Ukraine, it is currently considered impossible for it to join before the end of the war. Otherwise, there is an article according to which military assistance can be demanded, which would suddenly make the EU a party to the war.