Hungary again blocks opening of clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine

Hungary has again refused to approve the screening results for clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine at the first meeting of the Council of the EU's Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA) after the summer break.

Source: European Pravda correspondent citing sources in Brussels

Details: Hungary prevented the EU Council from moving forward with opening clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine.

"Everything remains unchanged," one of the European Pravda sources commented.

The source added that, as in July 2026, before the summer break, Hungary agreed to approve only the screening results for cluster 3 for Moldova.

This option, which would effectively separate Ukraine and Moldova on their paths to the EU, is not supported by the majority of EU member states, led by Ireland, which currently holds the Council presidency.

The next COELA meeting is scheduled for 2 September, but Ukraine and Moldova are not on the agenda.

Background:

• As European Pravda reported, the previous attempt to approve the screening results on 22 July 2026 failed due to Hungary's position, as Budapest was prepared to give the green light only to progress on cluster 3 and only for Moldova.
• The sixth negotiating cluster, External Relations, was opened for Ukraine in Brussels on 14 July. Taras Kachka, then Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, said the opening of the remaining four clusters would not be postponed until after the summer.
• Hungary had previously blocked the opening of clusters 2-6 for Ukraine at the technical level, but later agreed to lift its veto on cluster 6.

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