The EU opens the way for the official resumption of accession negotiations for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

The European Union decided on Wednesday to officially open accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, after Hungary's veto was lifted. Representatives of the 27 member states gave preliminary approval for a first set of negotiation chapters, marking an important step in the European integration of the two countries.

Ukraine, now in its fifth year of war with Russia, desires rapid accession to the EU, however Hungary, led by Viktor Orban, had previously blocked discussions. Recently, Hungarian leader Peter Magyar indicated that the veto had been lifted, thus paving the way for the resumption of negotiations, which could begin next week. Although Hungary welcomed a historic agreement with Ukraine regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority, the path to Ukraine's accession remains fraught with obstacles, and EU leaders have emphasized that immediate accession is not possible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the accession must be complete.