Ukraine and Moldova Open New Chapter in EU Accession Talks

Ukraine and Moldova have opened a new chapter in their formal negotiations to join the European Union, marking a significant step forward in both countries' bids for membership. EU accession talks are structured around a series of policy chapters covering areas such as rule of law, trade, and governance, with each new chapter representing progress toward eventual membership. Ukraine applied for EU candidate status shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and was granted candidate status later that year, making its accession process a high-profile and politically charged undertaking. Moldova, a small landlocked country bordering Ukraine and Romania, received candidate status at the same time. The advancement of both countries' negotiations comes after Hungary — which holds the EU's rotating presidency and whose government under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been broadly sympathetic toward Moscow — had previously blocked or delayed steps in the accession process. Hungary's apparent removal of that obstacle allowed the talks to move forward.