08 June 2026

After the new government in Budapest ended Hungary's prolonged blockade, the way is now clear to start EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. Negotiations with Western Balkan states may also pick up speed, matching the wishes of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron at a summit in Montenegro. Press outlets across Europe expect a drawn-out and demanding process.

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Columnist Bill Emmott argues in La Stampa that Ukraine offers real value to the EU:

“When viewed through the lens of defence and security, nothing is more obvious than the fact that Europe needs Ukraine just as much as Ukraine needs Europe. Countries who want to learn how to defend themselves against drones or missiles from Russia, against terrorist groups or some other random foe, know they must turn to Kyiv. Countries who are wondering how to rapidly expand their arms production and modernise it for the era of low-cost drones and artificial intelligence know that whether as a supplier, a partner or an adviser, Ukraine has plenty of answers at the ready.”

Diplomat and international law expert Lana Serkal notes in a Facebook post reported by NV that the road to membership will be tough:

“Accession negotiations take years. During this time, candidate countries hold elections and political parties change, but despite all these internal processes they must regularly demonstrate to the European Union that they remain committed to the fundamental values driving their bid for EU membership, regardless of any domestic political preferences. They must show that their institutions remain stable and insulated from political mood swings (or that they are at least consistently striving to make them so) and that they continue to respect Europe's rules.”

Le Soir observes that the EU is advancing too slowly on Ukraine's membership:

“It is astonishing – not to say annoying – that after four years of conflict on its borders the EU is still stuck at the stage of weighing up its options. ... Reading between the lines, it's clear that there is still no concrete plan for the accession of this country – vast in both its size and the scale of its accumulated problems. At least not for the short term, although Zelensky is aiming for – or let's be honest: dreaming of – accession by 2027. It's too late to change this now, but a well-managed acceleration would be welcome.”

Political scientist Laurențiu Pleșca writes on laziar.com that expectations must stay realistic:

“It should be stated clearly right from the start what this news is not, because enthusiasm tends to inflate things. This is not accession. Nor is it a guarantee of accession. The opening of a negotiation chapter means that the hard work is only just beginning – not that it has already been completed. Years of reforms will follow, each of which will be scrutinised in turn. These will be ruthless assessments, and there will be negotiations that can be blocked at any time and by any member state. Anyone now pitching the idea of unstoppable integration is doing a disservice to the very cause they claim to defend.”

Merz and Macron urged fresh momentum for Western Balkan accession over the weekend, yet taz questions their commitment:

“In 2019, Macron was the only leader in the European Council to block the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia – even though the country had implemented reforms, defeated an autocrat and even changed its name to resolve an absurd dispute with Greece. The message from Macron was: meeting all the EU's requirements does not guarantee progress. The EU is also losing credibility because the European People's Party – which includes the CDU and CSU – continues to tolerate the Serbian autocrat Aleksandar Vučić and his party within its ranks. ... Until this changes, Merz's advocacy for EU enlargement lacks all credibility.”