Ukraine’s long-stalled path toward European Union membership just cleared its biggest roadblock. Hungary lifted its veto on EU accession talks with Ukraine, ending a blockade that lasted roughly two years under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Formal negotiations are set to begin around June 15, 2026, under the Cypriot EU Council presidency. Moldova will join Ukraine at the table, with the first cluster of discussions focused on what the EU calls “fundamentals,” covering rule of law and human rights.
What changed in Budapest
The short answer: new leadership. Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar facilitated a bilateral agreement with Ukraine that addressed the status of ethnic Hungarians living in Ukrainian territory. The deal covers education, language, and cultural rights for the Hungarian minority community.
The veto’s removal also unblocked several related EU mechanisms. Portions of a proposed 40 billion euro defense fund and sanctions packages had been caught in the same diplomatic logjam. Those can now proceed as well.
