EU Council begins preparations for new Ukraine and Moldova accession clusters

The publication said that on June 17, the EU Council's Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA), which includes representatives of all 27 member states, began reviewing the screening results for all remaining negotiation clusters that have yet to be opened for Ukraine and Moldova.

The review covers clusters two through six. According to the publication, the launch of the process marks the start of the formal technical procedure required to prepare the clusters for opening and further discussion among EU member states.

Sources told the outlet that the next step will be an assessment of the screening results and their formal approval by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union (COREPER). Consideration of the issue could begin as early as next week.

Afterward, COELA and COREPER are expected to agree on the European Union's common positions for each cluster. These documents will outline the reforms Ukraine and Moldova must implement to advance accession negotiations and will represent the final step before the clusters can be formally opened.

Ukraine's EU integration

All EU member states gave final approval to the opening of the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine and Moldova on June 15, a move senior European officials described as a "defining moment for Europe."

Ukraine and Moldova were granted official EU candidate status in June 2022. In January 2025, the European Commission recommended launching formal negotiations on aligning both countries' legislation with EU standards.

Ahead of the latest meeting in Luxembourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Kyiv's progress on reforms, saying Ukraine had taken major steps toward European integration over the past year. At the same time, Western media outlets and diplomatic circles continue to debate the pace of the bloc's enlargement.

The Guardian previously reported, citing EU officials, that completing the technical stage of Ukraine's accession talks within four years is considered achievable. However, EU officials have also discussed the possibility of separating Ukraine and Moldova in the accession process, as some European diplomats believe Chisinau is currently advancing somewhat faster than Kyiv on several domestic reforms.

On June 16, European Pravda reported that Ukraine could open five additional negotiation clusters with the European Union on July 14 as part of its accession process. Although the date has not been officially confirmed, European officials have already discussed the possibility, while EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos hinted that such a decision could be made in July.